Bound to the West: A Hidden Kindness
by curliecue
Summary: Princess Zelda folded her hands in her lap and regarded the man before her. King Ganondorf bowed low and waited for her response. His lips curved into a small smile, though she couldn't see it. "You have come… to ask forgiveness?" Zelda finally asked.
1. (a nice day to) Start Again

King Ganondorf is back in Hyrule

487 words

* * *

Princess Zelda folded her hands in her lap and regarded the man before her. King Ganondorf bowed low and waited for her response. His lips curved into a small smile, though she couldn't see it.

"You have come… to ask forgiveness?" Zelda finally asked. She looked to Link, who shook his head slightly, then to Sheik. Sheik was regarding Ganondorf as thoughtfully as she. "I believe everyone deserves a second chance," she stood. Ganondorf remained kneeling. "But I'm not sure I should take that risk with you."

"I understand, Princess. I just hope my people do not suffer for my choices and my actions," he said solemnly. Zelda sighed.

"I will allow their passage into Castle Town if they obey Hylian laws while on Hylian lands." She considered him a moment longer. "You are not forgiven… but I will give you another chance to redeem yourself, King Dragmire. I wish for peace between our lands as much as you say you do," she said. The door opened and interrupted the heavy silence. Two girls entered the room, chattering to each other. The taller of the two, a blonde Hylian girl, stopped mid-sentence.

"Hey, Zeld-! Ohhh awkward…" The other, a short girl with long curly red hair, said. "Sorry, we thought you had finished your meeting… it was really quiet in here. We can go."

"No, it's alright," Zelda said, gesturing them over. "King Ganondorf was just about to leave, actually," she answered. The blonde girl's eyes sharpened.

"Ganondorf?" she looked at the man as he rose to his feet, distrust clear on her face.

"Don't worry, Kaikoura. We've come to an agreement," Zelda said with a nod to Ganondorf.

"What kind of agreement?" the redhead asked, plopping down in Zelda's recently vacated seat. "Oh, this is not comfortable at all."

"Rabia, at least pretend to be professional," Zelda said, rolling her eyes. "What's done is done. Thank you for your time, King Ganondorf." She inclined her head towards him.

"The pleasure was all mine, Princess Zelda," he said. He swept into a low bow. "It was nice meeting you Kaikoura, Rabia," he inclined his head to them politely. He held Rabia's gaze for a beat longer, then turned on his heel and left the throne room, his cloak billowing behind him.

"... Damn. He knows how to make an exit. Are his entrances that good?" Rabia asked, tilting her head.

"He's… theatrical," Zelda said. She shooed Rabia off the throne. Rabia jumped up and looked at Zelda curiously.

"There was a lot of tension in here…" she said. "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure yet." Zelda answered. "We all need to keep an eye on him. He's planning something. "After a moment she flashed a bright smile at her friends. "But we don't have to worry about that right now - we have a sleepover to enjoy!" With that, she ushered them all out of the room.

* * *

Written for Shelby


	2. Nightmares (they won't let me be)

The group of friends are plagued by questionable dreams the night before Zelda's birthday. Ganondorf is still in Hyrule.

2813 words

* * *

The sky was overrun with black clouds that cast Hyrule Field in a gray haze. A flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder rolled over the land like a deep, rumbling laugh. Zelda watched from the throne room window as the unnatural storm rolled in.

The throne room door flung inward with a heavy gust of wind and the room was plunged into darkness. A large form loomed in the doorway. The only light came from the Triforce where it gleamed in the darkness from the figure's hand. The figure's golden eyes gleamed in triumph as the power of the Triforce plunged Hyrule into eternal darkness.

Zelda woke from the dream with a start. She breathed heavily as the adrenaline rush faded.

"Princess?" Link poked his head in the doorway. 'Princess Zelda? Are you alright?" he stepped inside and closed the door as he rubbed his eyes. "You were calling to me in my dream… I thought you might be in danger."

"Oh… Link… I'm sorry, I had a terrible nightmare…" she ran her fingers through her hair and gave him a gentle smile. "I'm alright. I'll be down in a little bit for breakfast," she said. She dismissed him with a wave. Link hesitated, but bowed and left her.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Zelda sat down at the table, still trying to figure out what her dream could mean. Link was already there. He kept moving closer to Zelda as if his presence alone could banish her darker thoughts. They were joined shortly by Sheik, who sat down across from Zelda. He noticed his sister's silence and set down his fork.

"What is troubling you, Zelda?" he asked.

"Oh… Just a bad dream…" she sighed.

"Dream?" Sheik asked. Kaikoura walked into the room, still in her pajamas, and sat down next to Sheik.

"We're talking about dreams?" Kaikoura asked tiredly. "Last night in my dream, Link and Zelda swapped clothes and Rabia summoned up a demon and I worked at Hut Discount!" she said. Zelda giggled.

"You always have the funniest dreams," she said. The mood at the table lightened considerably. A disgruntled looking Rabia joined them a few minutes later. "Oh, Rabia, did you not sleep well?"

"The bed was comfy - I just kept waking up from weird dreams," Rabia plopped down next to Kaikoura and stifled a yawn.

"Another weird dream?" Zelda asked. "Hmm… I bet we're all on edge from that visit from King Ganondorf" she said. The others agreed, and brushed it off. They chatted amicably as they ate, until finally their plates were clean.

"Alright, well, I have to go to Castle Town Market," Rabia sighed and stood. "Sorry I can't stick around and help decorate. I'll see you all later at Zelda's birthday party." She waved and left while her friends called their goodbyes.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Rabia hummed to herself as she browsed the selection in the shop. She wasn't sure how much Dreamless Sleep potion she needed, so she picked up the medium sized bottle and headed towards the counter. She passed by a shelf of used books and stopped to browse. She didn't need any books, but one still caught her eye. It was leather-bound and rather battered, with gold-edged pages. Rabia picked it up curiously, then shrugged and purchased it with the potion. She had just stepped outside when she bumped into a huge chest and nearly fell back on her butt.

"Ah! Sorry!" she said. She looked up at the person she bumped into and her eyes widened. "Oh… King Ganondorf…" she laughed nervously. "Sorry about that…" He was even more intimidating from this point of view.

"Hello, Rabia." Ganondorf pulled her to her feet and dusted her off. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, um… yes, I'm fine," she said. "I… I have to get going. Nice seeing you again." Rabia bit her lip and started walking away.

"Rabia!" Ganondorf caught her arm and she tensed. "Will I be seeing you at Zelda's birthday party tonight?" he asked.

"Y-Yes," she stuttered. "I'll be at her party. I really have to go…" She pulled her arm away and let out a breath when he let go of her.

"Wait," he said. Rabia paused, tense and ready to run. "Why have I never met you before?" he asked. She blinked and all tension left her as she turned back to face him.

"I don't understand. Why would we have met?" Rabia asked with a head tilt. Ganondorf blinked.

"Aren't you…? Never mind," he shook his head. "I will see you tonight," he said. Rabia chewed her lip, then nodded and hurried off.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Hours passed and Zelda's birthday party drew nearer. The servants had finished decorating the ballroom and now the caterers and the musicians were setting up. Rabia adjusted the height of her music stand and placed the sheet music down in the correct order.

"Hey, Cecil? Do you have a tuner on you?" She turned to the blond guitarist behind her. He had his back to her as he plugged in some cables. He tossed a tuner behind his back in her general direction without looking up from what he was doing. Rabia attempted to catch it and got a hold of it before it hit the ground. "…Thanks," she said. She adjusted the head joint of her flute and lifted the instrument to her lips to tune when a shadow loomed over her. "GAH!" She was met with a pair of amber eyes staring down at her. Cecil was too busy adjusting a cable on his amplifier to turn and see what Rabia had yelled about.

"A Powell 2100? Nice." Rabia growled in annoyance.

"Hello again, King Ganondorf," she muttered, avoiding eye contact. He smiled at her.

"So, you're a musician?" he questioned. Rabia went on with polishing and adjusting her instrument in silence. "Is that all silver, or are the keys silver plated?" She tilted her head to the side.

"Are you planning on stealing my flute?" she asked suspiciously. He paused before laughing. Rabia jumped and leaned toward Cecil, trying to get his attention.

"Did you steal it?" he asked. Rabia frowned.

"It was a graduation gift," she said. She turned back to Cecil. "What are we playing first?"

"Liebermann's Sonata for Flute and Guitar," Cecil responded, without looking up. Rabia sighed.

"Right. I'm going to go find the bathroom. Excuse me." She stood, grabbed her flute, and walked out. She knew she was being followed by the time she rounded the second corridor. She sighed in aggravation and wheeled around to face him. "What?! What do you want?!" He looked down at her, unfazed by her yelling.

"Who are your parents?" he asked. She blinked.

"My father is Saul and my mother is Petra. Was that it?"

"Adopted, I assume?"

"…No." She crossed her arms over her chest. He shook his head.

"Have you ever noticed that you're a little, you know… different than everyone else in Castle Town?" He pointed to her ears. "For one, your ears are short and round," he pointed at his own ears, "Like mine."

"And that's relevant because…?"

"You realize that means you aren't a Hylian, correct?"

"I don't have time for this," she growled, her eyes flashing. "Don't you have a-a… harem to run?" She turned and stormed off, leaving him far behind. This time he did not follow.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

While Zelda was up in her bedroom getting ready, Kaikoura and Sheik were watching over things in the ballroom before the party started. They were currently supervising Cecil, who was trying to use his hairspray too close to the torches.

"Dad, you're going to set the place on fire!" Kaikoura whispered. "Get away from the torches and go to the bathroom, or something!" She tried to shoo him out.

"Don't be silly, Kaiky! The party is about to start. Now… Where is Rabia?" he asked, but the redhead was nowhere to be found. Zelda was just descending the stairs when Rabia rounded the corner.

"Rabia?" Zelda picked up her skirts and ran after her angry friend. "Rabia, what's wrong? What happened?!" Zelda followed her into the ballroom. "I've never seen you this angry."

"Ask King Ganondorf," she snapped, heading over to her seat among the musicians. Zelda froze.

"What do you mean, 'ask King Ganondorf?'" she stuttered. "What happened?" But she got no answer, as the first guest had arrived and the musicians started to play. Zelda put on a pleasant face to greet her subjects. King Ganondorf was among the last to enter. Zelda cleared her throat uncomfortably, but kept her pleasant smile despite her suspicions.

"King Ganondorf… I wasn't aware that you would be coming," Zelda said. He bowed his head to her.

"I came to wish the Princess a wonderful eighteenth birthday," he responded. "It looks as if everyone in Hyrule is here to celebrate your coming of age."

"Yes." Zelda smiled tightly. "They have. Now… what did you do to anger my friend so much?" He tilted his head to the side.

"I'm sorry, which friend did I upset?" he asked. Zelda rolled her eyes.

"The angry flutist," she gestured to Rabia. "What did you do?" Ganondorf hesitated, then shrugged.

"I didn't realize I offended her. I was only having a conversation with her about her flute." Before she could respond, he had already walked off. She glared after him, and was immediately joined by Sheik and Kaikoura.

"What was that about?" Kaikoura asked between sips of her drink.

"He's up to something," Zelda said thoughtfully. She turned to Sheik. "Where's Link? I need him to keep an eye on Ganondorf."

"Link is guarding the doors. He saw Ganondorf come in and said he would be in soon," Sheik answered. Zelda nodded uneasily.

"Alright… will you two keep an eye on him too?" Sheik nodded and Kaikoura groaned.

"Can't we have the guards watch him? We never get to relax at these parties," she sighed. Zelda ignored her and walked gracefully away to converse with other guests. Kaikoura grumbled and followed Sheik to a secluded spot closer to Ganondorf, who was conversing with another guest. They couldn't hear what he was saying, but the man he was talking to seemed impressed. They kept an eye on him and were soon joined by Link.

"What's going on? Did Zelda tell you guys anything?" Link asked. He frowned when he saw Ganondorf offer to dance with Zelda. "Look at him, he has to be up to something…" His frown deepened when she accepted. "I'll be over there if you need me," he whispered loudly to Sheik. Sheik nodded and Link made his way closer to Zelda and Ganondorf. Kaikoura sighed.

"I'm bored. Let's go do something fun," she said to Sheik. Sheik blinked at her.

"Zelda said to keep an eye on Ganondorf," he stated.

"Link's got it covered. Come on," she followed him out of the ballroom, checking out his ass. Sheik noticed, but said nothing.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

"Thank you for the dance, Princess." Ganondorf kissed her hand. Zelda nodded at him civilly, then hurried off to mingle with her subjects. "I know you're there, Link," Ganondorf said to a statue that had steadily been moving closer to him and Zelda. Link hesitated before showing himself. He stared the other man down for a moment. Ganondorf raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you need to say?"

"Yeah. Stay away from Princess Zelda," Link said harshly. "I know you're planning something. I've got my eyes on you."

"I'm not here for Zelda," Ganondorf said with a smirk. "Get lost, fool." Link glared at him suspiciously, but went to find Zelda. Ganondorf made his way over to the band. Rabia was just stepping away from the platform for her break. "Hello, again," he said. Rabia sighed, but didn't seemed surprised.

"King Ganondorf," she nodded her head civilly. Rabia walked over to the table and got herself some water. "Dresses are the worst invention of all time," she muttered, glaring down at the garment she was wearing.

"You look nice," he stated, looking her up and down. Rabia raised an eyebrow at him and sipped her drink. He smiled.

"Dance with me," he said, offering a hand to her. Rabia stared at him.

"Excuse me?" He grabbed her hand anyway and pulled her onto the dance floor.

"Dance with me," he said as he pulled her closer.

"Okay, one, I can't fucking dance. Two, I'm the clumsiest person you'll ever meet so this is a terrible idea. Three, I don't like you, so let me go." Ganondorf laughed.

"You're dancing now and you haven't tripped yet," he pointed out.

"Yeah, well… I still don't like you," she grumbled. He smiled at her but said nothing and continued his way out onto the dancefloor. They danced for the next few songs before he let her go and she returned to the band. A fellow band member raised an eyebrow at her.

"Who was that?" she questioned with a smile. Rabia sighed.

"Just a guy," she said. Her friend grinned.

"A hot guy. I think he digs you," she giggled. Rabia rolled her eyes and picked up her flute.

"We're working, remember?" The other girl wrinkled her nose, but dropped it.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

The party wrapped up around 2 am. A few people were still lingering, including King Ganondorf, but most of Zelda's guests had left. The musicians finished the last song and started packing up, talking quietly amongst themselves. Rabia put her music stand on the stand rack, scooped up her music folder and grabbed her flute case.

"Goodnight, guys…" she yawned. "I'm sure I'll see you all soon," she said. Her bandmates said their goodbyes as she headed out of the hall to the foyer. The guards were politely escorting the remaining guests outside. Ganondorf approached her before she could head upstairs.

"How about a trail ride Thursday afternoon?" he said to her. "There's this beautiful, secret spot in the valley I could take you to."

"Um…" Rabia bit her lip and glanced around for Zelda, but she was nowhere to be found. "Sure…" Ganondorf grinned.

"Great. I'll meet you here then," he said with a nod.

"Oh. Okay," she said. She started heading upstairs.

"Goodnight," he called to her. Rabia paused and turned to look back at him.

"…Goodnight, King Ganondorf," she bowed her head and went upstairs.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Rabia entered her guest room, changed into pajamas, and crawled into bed. Zelda was allowing Rabia and Kaikoura to spend another night in the castle. Zelda's party had ended late and they'd be attending Sheik's the next day. Rabia swallowed a mouthful of Dreamless Sleep potion. She settled back into her pillows and flipped open her new book.

The thin, fragile pages rustled as she flipped through them. Everything was printed in Latin, even the notes scribbled into the margins. She flipped back to the first page to see if there was a name, but there was a short passage scribbled there instead.

"Ego invoco Gideon. Te animiae mea ligo," she read aloud, her eyebrows scrunched together. Unable to decipher more than a few words of the Latin, she shrugged and closed the book, then went to sleep.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

"Gideon, you know I love you, but I'm married now. To the King! I can't betray him or my people." A young Gerudo woman was conversing with an agitated Hylian man in a breathtaking garden. His eyes were narrowed and his dark hair disheveled as he ran his fingers through it again. "I'll always remember our time together, but I can't see you anymore."

"Angelique…" he caught her hand as she turned away.

"No, Gideon." Gideon watched silently as Angelique walked away.

Gideon was sitting at his desk, holding a letter in a clenched fist and tossing back whiskey with his other hand. Rabia glanced over his shoulder at the letter.

 _Gideon,_

 _My time here is short. I have fallen ill and there's nothing the healers can do. Know that I'll always love you, no matter what._

 _Love,_

 _Angelique_

Gideon was kneeling before a shadow-spirit with his head bowed.

"You would trade your soul for her life?" the creature asked with a grin. "That's quite a price for one girl."

"She's not _just_ a girl," Gideon answered.

"I accept your offer." The creature clasped hands with Gideon. As it pulled away, so did a long silvery thread. The creature pocketed the thread with a smug smile. Gideon's skin faded to an ashy gray and his sapphire eyes hardened to ice. "I hope she was worth it."

Gideon raced through Hyrule Field and into the desert fortress on horseback. Angelique was back on her throne in full health, sitting beside her husband.

"I did this for you!" Gideon roared. Angelique smirked.

"Then you are a fool."

Rabia woke in a cold sweat with Gideon's enraged screams and an echoing whisper of "te possideo" in her ears.

* * *

I hope I made the OCs easy enough to follow - there are a lot in this series.

OCs: Rabia (Zelda's friend/hired musician), Kaikoura (Zelda's friend/Sheik's SO), Cecil (Kaikoura's father/hired musician) Gideon, who I'm not going to describe because that would be a HUGE spoiler


	3. Beautiful Dangerous

A desert date. Ganondorf and Rabia are both underestimate each other.

3642 words

* * *

The next day was Sheik's eighteenth birthday party. He had decided to celebrate with a smaller party than his twin sister. Only his close friends were gathered at the dinner table that night. Zelda, Link, Kaikoura, and Rabia sat around and chatted. Their dish of choice was noodle soup and champagne. Rabia took a long sip from her glass before hesitantly clearing her throat. "So… something interesting happened after Zelda's party last night…" she started. The others looked at her and waited for her to continued. "I was asked on… what I believe is… a date," she finished. Zelda and Kaikoura gasped and smiled.

"Congrats, Rabia! When is the date?" Zelda asked brightly. Rabia's face remained stoic.

"Thursday… um… guess who asked me," she squeaked. There was a short silence among the friends.

"Ike?" Link guessed through a mouthful of food. Rabia shook her head. Zelda's smile faltered a bit.

"A guest from the party?" she stuttered. Rabia nodded. Sheik frowned.

"And you accepted?" he questioned.

"Well… I got the impression that if I said no he would show up anyway," she said. "I looked for Zelda but I couldn't find her," she added in her defense. Zelda dropped her head in her hands and let out a long sigh. Link and Kaikoura looked on in confusion, still slurping on their noodles.

"Wait who?" Link asked. "Who was it?" Sheik looked on at Rabia in worry.

"Ganondorf asked her on a date," Zelda muttered. Link set his chopsticks down and stared at Rabia in shock.

"And you said yes?" She glared at him.

"Did you miss what I just said? I didn't have much of a choice," she growled. "We're going for a trail ride."

"We'll go with you," Link said. "A… like a double date! I'm sure he won't mind." Everyone raised their eyebrows.

"Who is we?" Rabia asked, unimpressed, looking Link up and down. He was wearing the same clothes he had worn the night before and his smell was a bit off. "I hope you mean Sheik and Kaikoura."

"Well, I mean… I meant Zelda and me." Rabia blinked, then started laughing.

"Something tells me Ganondorf would know exactly what you were doing if you joined us. And… you can't exactly sneak up on us when you smell like that." She wrinkled her nose. Zelda frowned.

"You can't go alone on this date, Rabia. Ganondorf is a dangerous, evil man. He will do everything in his power to take the throne," she said. "Really, please bring someone with you."

"Fine… Sheik? Kaikoura? You in?" Sheik immediately nodded, but Kaikoura made an uncertain noise.

"I don't think you should go at all… I mean, my dad won't let me go on this double date anyway, so you could just take a raincheck," she started nervously.

"We need to go, Kaikoura," Sheik said. "Can you imagine Ganondorf against Rabia? She wouldn't stand a chance." He looked to Rabia. "No offense." Rabia shrugged. Kaikoura slumped in her seat and sighed.

"Alright…" she mumbled. Link downed the rest of his drink and stood.

"Okay, we'll be on guard for the rest of the night. When do you meet him?"

"Next week, idiot."

"Oh. Well… we'll still be on guard!" Link said.

"Um, I have a better idea. Go take a shower. You smell disgusting," Rabia stated, waving Link away. Link looked to the others for support of his idea, but none of them met his eyes. He shrugged and left.

"Just… be careful, Rabia. Okay?" Zelda said. "Be prepared for anything to happen. Don't trust him for a second."

"Well, on that completely ominous note… I'm going to go practice," Rabia said. She gave Sheik his gift, then went upstairs.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Rabia sat in front of the mirror at her vanity. She let out a sigh as she straightened the final strand of hair. She was wearing a crop top and shorts, much to her father's dismay. "Where are you going, dressed like that? It's sixty degrees out," he pointed out. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and stood from her seat.

"The desert," she said, brushing past him. He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? And um… why are you going there, exactly?" he crossed his arms over his chest and stood in her doorway, blocking her path.

"Oh, you know, I thought it'd be a nice day out with some friends," Rabia rolled her eyes. "You know, sunshine, heat… no rain…"

"Yeah? Which friends?"

"Um… Kaikoura… Sheik…" she squeezed through a gap between him and the doorframe.

"Is that it?" Saul asked sternly.

"Some horses…" she shrugged.

"Uh huh. Unsupervised? No adults? You're just going to the desert."

"Sheik's an adult! The horses are adults!" Rabia said. "I'm almost an adult! So yes, I'm just going to the desert," she said. "Be back later, don't wait up!" she said.

"Rabia," Saul called after her. "Tell me who you're going with, or you're not going."

"Somehow I don't think that could stop me," she muttered.

"Oh, REALLY? Really?!" Saul said. "You don't think I'm gonna stop you?!"

"Totally not what I meant," Rabia said, shaking her head.

"Oh? Then what did you mean, exactly? You better not be going off to the desert with some strangers!" Saul yelled.

"Moooom!" Rabia said as she headed downstairs. "Tell dad to stop smothering me!"

"I'm not getting involved," Petra said. She was reading a magazine at the table and trying her best to ignore the argument.

"She thinks she's going to the desert, Petra! Unsupervised, with a stranger!" Saul said, hands on hips. Petra folded up her magazine, turned to Rabia, and stared her down.

"Who are you going with, and why?" Petra said.

"Ehhh… Sheik and Kaikoura and our horses because it's rainy here and it's not rainy there and yeah!" she said quickly.

"Yeah? Sheik and Kaikoura? Why don't I just give Cecil a call…" she got the phone and started dialing.

"Nononononono! Cecil will KILL them!" Rabia said.

"Exactly! Then why should I not kill you?!" Saul asked.

"Because… that's child abuse and you love me?" Rabia smiled at him sweetly.

"Hey, Cecil! How are you?" Petra said. "Did you know anything about our children going to the desert with Sheik today?" she asked. "Uh huh. Mhm… Ohhh, no clue huh? She told you they were hanging out at Hyrule Castle? Okay, thanks Cecil…" she hung up the phone.

"Oh come on, I was so cloooose," Rabia grumbled.

"You thought you'd just sneak out unnoticed?" Saul asked, frowning.

"Well… yeah, I mean… we live in a huge mansion, so…" Rabia trailed off with a shrug.

"So… all of you are lying. To go to the desert. Why the desert?"

"Holy shit, I already told you! Sunshine is a good thing! Rain is gross!" she said. "I'll be home later, fully intact and not maimed, okay? Bye!" she went to leave, but Saul tugged her hair.

"Excuse you, I don't THINK so!"

"Nooo I just finished straightening that for my da- uh… dance party… in the desert…"

"D… Date? Is that what you were going to say? Who in the hell are you meeting in the desert for a date?"

"Just this… friend of Sheik's… you might know him… he… works at the castle." Rabia said. Saul looked at her suspiciously, but let go of her hair.

"Keep your phone on. The whole time. If I call you, you answer it. If I text you, you answer it. Got it?"

"Yeah, dad," she grumbled, fixing her hair.

"Alright. Be careful. Love you!" he kissed her cheek.

"Yeah, love you too…" she muttered as she walked out the door.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Kaikoura and Sheik were ready and waiting in the castle entryway when Rabia got there. Kaikoura was also wearing a crop top and shorts, but unlike Rabia, she was pale and nervous. Sheik was in his normal clothes, complete with the braided hair and cowl. It would've been strange on anyone but Sheik.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late… I tried to sneak out of the house but my dad caught me," Rabia said with a sigh. "He freaked out on me when he found out I was going to the desert…"

"Well, can you blame him?!" Kaikoura asked. "We've been at odds with the Gerudo for years, and today we're going into their home!" she said. "I don't like this at all." Sheik wrapped an arm around her and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"It'll be fine. I won't let anything happen to you two," he said. "Besides, I don't think he'll try anything funny with extra company," Sheik said.

"I hope you're right," Kaikoura said anxiously.

"Let's just get this over with," Rabia replied, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. They didn't have to wait long before Ganondorf arrived.

"Rabia," he smiled at her. "It's nice to see you again."

"King Ganondorf," she said, nodding to him politely. "I hope you don't mind if Sheik and Kaikoura join us… they rarely get time for dates and they'd love to see the desert," she smiled at him sweetly. He blinked before giving the two a warm smile.

"Oh, no problem at all," he said.

"Awesome! Our horses should be saddled up by now, so we just have to stop by the stables and we'll be all set to go!" Rabia smiled. They took a quick detour to the stables, then followed Ganondorf through Hyrule Field.

"So how far away is the desert?" Rabia asked Ganondorf curiously as her horse moved up beside his.

"We'll be there by sunset, when the place I'm bringing you to is at its most beautiful," Ganondorf said to her. Sheik and Kaikoura were several paces behind, riding side-by-side and watching carefully. Rabia dug out her phone and sent a quick text.

"Alright, just gotta let my dad know," she answered. "So… tell me a little bit about the valley. What's it like?"

"Well… my tribe is all women, except for myself," Ganondorf said. "We're a very private people, we don't let people in without permission, and the only people who get permission are women who can prove themselves. All the Gerudo are either warriors or guards, aside from myself and Nabooru, my second-in-command. She is my advisor," he said. "I think you'd like her," he glanced at Rabia. "She's… unique. You remind me a little of her."

"What are you saying?" she narrowed her eyes at him. Ganondorf studied her face before bursting into amused laughter.

"The attitude is much more charming on you," he smiled at her.

"...Oh," Rabia flushed and turned her attention back to her horse.

The ride was nice. Ganondorf was a complete gentleman to Rabia the entire trip to the desert. However, Sheik's attention to them didn't waver until they arrived.

"We're here," Ganondorf said. He dismounted, offered Rabia a hand, and helped her off her horse. Her eyes were wide as she looked around.

"...Wow." From where they were standing, the sky was the lilac color of the evening with hues of orange and pink cast onto the wispy clouds by the sun. The rays of the setting sun reflected off the surrounding sand dunes into the valley, casting the whole area in a dusty golden glow. Sheik and Kaikoura were just as dumbstruck as Rabia, their expressions mirrored hers.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Ganondorf asked Rabia. She nodded mutely, still taking in the landscape. Ganondorf smiled and took off his cape, then spread it onto the sand so he and Rabia could sit together. Kaikoura and Sheik hung back by the horses.

"Hey Sheik…" Kaikoura looked at him.

"Yeah?" Sheik looked over at her. "What is i- mmph!" He made a noise of protest when he was suddenly being kissed. "Kaikoura!" he whispered. "Not now, we have to make sure he doesn't try anything funny," he said, glancing back over to Ganondorf and Rabia. Kaikoura sighed and snuck in a butt squeeze before conceding.

"Fine," she sighed. "He was right though… this really is nice," Kaikoura said. "Rabia looks like she's having a good time." Sheik nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. That's what I'm worried about," he responded. They waited until the sun set beyond the sand dunes and the gold hue in the valley faded to the half-light of dusk. Ganondorf stood and offered Rabia a hand, helping her back onto her horse. He shook the sand off his cape and put it back on, then looked to Sheik and Kaikoura.

"Are you two coming? If we wait much longer it will start getting cold," he said. The ride home was quiet, but in a good way. Sometimes Ganondorf would say something to Rabia too quietly for Sheik and Kaikoura to hear and she would respond in kind, but for the most part the only sound was the horses hooves on the ground. Ganondorf helped Rabia dismount her horse and smiled at her.

"I'm glad you came with me today," he said, kissing her hand. They locked eyes for a short moment, Ganondorf's hand still on hers. Rabia quickly looked away and retracted her hand, her face pink. "I'd like to see you again," he said. Rabia nodded.

"Yeah… okay," she said. He grinned.

"I'll come back next week to see you." He mounted his horse with one last glance at Rabia before galloping off.

"... Did I just agree to another date with him?" Rabia asked a moment later, after snapping out of her daze. She looked at Kaikoura and Sheik, who were staring at her in disbelief.

"Uh, yeah, kinda!" Kaikoura said. "What... what the...?!"

"What? He was nice! How could I have said no?" Rabia asked. Kaikoura face-palmed and Sheik just sighed. "Yeah, okay… not a good choice," she said.

"Next time, Link and Zelda are going," Sheik muttered under his breath. Rabia blinked and checked her phone.

"Oh, hey… Kaikoura, dad says you can come sleep over if you want," Rabia said.

"Sweet, let's go," Kaikoura kissed Sheik's cheek and mounted her horse to head for Henderson Manor.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

~A FEW HOURS EARLIER~

Barely ten minutes after Rabia had left, Cecil came barreling up the driveway of Henderson Manor. He ran inside without bothering to knock, nearly plowing over Rabia's older brother, Rob, in the process. Saul and Petra looked up when Cecil ran into the kitchen.

"The DESERT, Saul?! I don't THINK so!" Cecil said angrily.

"Hey, man," Saul said. "Calm down, we're going to follow them and see what they're really up to." That seemed to calm Cecil considerably.

"Oh. Well… why didn't you just say so? We'd better get a move on if we don't want to miss them," Cecil said. Saul nodded.

"You're right. Let's go," he replied. They left in pursuit of Rabia, Kaikoura and Sheik. They got to the castle just as they were getting their horses. Saul nearly lost it when he saw Rabia's date was King Ganondorf, but managed to be discreet enough to follow the four to the desert at a distance they wouldn't be noticed. Saul visibly bristled every time Ganondorf even looked at Rabia, and looked about ready to explode again on the way home. They bypassed the stop at the castle all together and went straight back to Henderson Manor.

"... you know what, Saul?" Cecil said, "Invite Kaikoura here to stay the night. I think they both need to learn a lesson from their fathers," he said sternly. Saul sent Rabia a text, hands shaking with anger.

"Oh, they'll learn something alright…" Saul said angrily. They waited.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

"C'mon, Duke," Rabia said, mounting her own horse. The horse took off at a leisurely trot, Kaikoura on Swirl following. They got to Henderson Manor and, left the horses in the stables, and went inside.

"Hey dad, we're he- oh… aheh." Saul and Cecil were standing in the entryway, arms crossed, less than pleased. "What's up…?"

"Would you care to explain to us exactly WHY you were on a date with Ganondorf in the desert?!" Saul asked.

"Ganondorf? Where would you get a dumb idea like that?" Rabia asked with a frown. Saul growled.

"We followed you to make sure you were safe!" Saul said.

"That's not a creepy invasion of privacy at all or anything," Rabia muttered.

"Invasion of privacy?! You're joking, right? You better be joking," Saul said.

"Kaikoura, why were YOU there?" Cecil demanded. "And don't you lie to me, young lady," he said to her sternly.

"W-Well… When Rabia told us Ganondorf had asked her out and she agreed... we were worried and… well, we think Ganondorf is up to something and it'd be really obvious we were spying on him if Zelda and Link went and we couldn't let her go alone so Sheik and I decided to go so she wouldn't end up dead somewhere! In my defense, I didn't want to go at all," Kaikoura said.

"YOU WHAT?!" Saul yelled. Rabia backed up a step.

"What was I supposed to do?! Say 'no'?! Saying yes at least gave me time to get some help!" Rabia said. "I don't know what he's planning, but I really don't want him to kill me because I fucking turned him down!"

"You should've told us!" Saul said. "But instead, you went to your friends and put them in a dangerous situation as well! What if Ganondorf had tried to hurt them, too?! You and Kaikoura could've been killed!" Cecil gasped, shaking his head in disbelief. "Do you really think Sheik could've stood up to him by himself?!" Rabia didn't answer. "You know what? Just go to your room. You're grounded for… for… life!" Saul said. Rabia went upstairs silently. Cecil looked at Kaikoura.

"Kaikoura, I am very disappointed in you. You know better than to fall for peer pressure. You should've told someone else as soon as Rabia told you. We would've been able to help you," Cecil said. "Just… go upstairs while I talk with Saul." Kaikoura followed Rabia upstairs. Cecil followed Saul into the living room and sat down on the couch.

"What was she thinking?" Saul asked, holding his head in his hands. "She should've just stayed with Finn. Then at least she would've had a reason to turn Ganondorf down." Cecil just shook his head.

"I dunno, Saul… I'll need to have a word with Sheik, though." He pat Saul on the back. "I should head out before it gets too late. You okay with the girls?" Saul sighed.

"Yeah, it's fine, Cecil. You go ahead," he said. Cecil nodded and left.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

~ RABIA'S ROOM ~

"What am I gonna do, Kaiky?" Rabia asked. "Dad will kill me if he knows I agreed to another date, and I'm not going to make you and Sheik come again. Should I just stand him up?"

"I dunno…" Kaikoura said. "Going out with him again seems dangerous." Rabia's cat meowed in agreement and jumped up onto the bed.

"Yeah, you're right," Rabia sighed. She scooped the cat up into her lap and pat her absently. "Fuck my life. I hate guys. I just wanna be a lonely cat lady, damn it." Kaikoura rolled her eyes.

"Don't be so dramatic. There are plenty of good guys! Not as good as cats, but… still," Kaikoura said. "Isn't that right, Katrina?" she cooed as she scratched the cat behind her ears. She received a happy purr in response as Katrina nuzzled into her hand.

"Then why haven't I met any? So far Ganondorf has been the nicest and least psychotic. Which is really saying something," Rabia said. "No, I think I'll stick with cats." Kaikoura shrugged.

"Yeah, cats are pretty great."

"...Does Sheik have any hot, straight friends?" Rabia asked.

"Um… Marth," Kaikoura said.

"Psh, he's not straight. He has the biggest crush on Link…" Rabia said. "Oh well. There's nothing wrong with being single."

"Damn straight, girl!" Kaikoura said. "Though you did seem to be having a good time with Ganondorf. Rabia, seriously, don't date him. He's dangerous and evil."

"I know, I know. I won't go out with him again. She sighed. "Well, I'll figure it out. It'll be fiiiine." The two rolled over to drift off to sleep. Despite Rabia's hesitance to see Ganondorf again, she couldn't help but dream about his golden gaze and the way the corner of his eyes wrinkled when he laughed...

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

~ GERUDO VALLEY~

"Care to explain yourself, big shot?" Nabooru snapped, hands on her hips. Ganondorf looked up from the paperwork spread across his desk.

"Ah, Nabooru… I didn't hear you come in." He turned to face her. "What seems to be the problem?" She scowled at him, unimpressed. She stormed across the small room and leaned over his desk, her eyes narrowed.

"You know what the problem is, Ganondorf. You know we don't allow strangers into the valley, and today you brought along three!" He shook his head.

"Did you take a look at who I was with though? There's no doubt she's a Gerudo," he said, unfazed by her glare.

"And what's your excuse for the other two? I could see their long ears from miles away." Ganondorf leaned back in his seat.

"The others I couldn't help. They were friends of my date; I had no choice but to let them tag along." Nabooru raised a perfectly pencilled eyebrow and folded her arms.

"You brought three strangers to the outskirts of the fortress to… to woo some girl!" Ganondorf shrugged with a sheepish smile. Nabooru growled. "It was stupid, reckless and incredibly dangerous!"

"Rabia, dangerous?" Ganondorf laughed loudly. "Yeah, okay. Have I ever done anything to hurt our people, Nabooru?" Nabooru blinked.

"I really don't think you want me to answer that." She turned and made her way for the door, but came to a halt before she exited. "Don't bring them here again. I will personally assure you that our guards will kill them." She left without another word.

* * *

OCs: Kaikoura (Zelda's friend/Sheik's SO), Rabia (Zelda's friend/hired musician), Saul (Rabia's father/famous musician), Petra (Rabia's mother), Cecil (Kaikoura's father/hired musician/famous musician), Rob (Rabia's older brother)


	4. Once Sweet (but it turned sour)

The Farore's Day celebration brings its own challenges, including one of Rabia's old flames.

1163 words

* * *

Before they knew it, the next week was upon them. Rabia was still grounded and Cecil was still disappointed in Kaikoura, so they were only at the castle because they had to be. Rabia needed to play tonight so Cecil was keeping an eye on her, and Kaikoura was there because Cecil hadn't wanted her to 'get into any trouble' while he was gone. Today was Farore's Day, a celebration of Farore and the coming of Spring. Everyone in the band had to be wearing something green. Most had opted for a dress or tunic, but Cecil decided to dye his white-blond hair a dark green color. Rabia had decided on nail polish and jewelry for her green items, but with her red hair she still stuck out. It wasn't hard for Ganondorf to spot her when he arrived at the castle gardens for the celebration. Kaikoura had just taken a sip of her punch, but choked on it and spit it out, coughing. Sheik frowned and pat her back gently.

"Kaikoura? What's wrong?" he asked. She pointed to Ganondorf. "Oh…"

"Our dads are gonna flip…" Kaikoura said. Saul and Petra had arrived with their three boys not too long ago. "What do we do…?"

"We can't get involved again," Sheik said. "Look, Link's got an eye on things," he said, directing her gaze to Link's hiding spot. He was wearing all green and blended in perfectly with the hedges. Kaikoura face-palmed with a sigh.

"Alright then. Let's go dance." She pulled him onto the dancefloor.

The Farore's Day Festival music mainly featured the flute, which meant it was a while before Rabia could get a break. When she finally snuck away, she was intercepted by Saul.

"Rabia! There you are. You remember Finn, right?" he smiled, glancing at the classically handsome man that stood beside him.

"Oh… yes, how could I forget?" she sighed.

"Well, why don't you go dance with him?" Saul asked.

"I-I don't feel like dancing, right now… I'm going to um… get a drink," she said, trying to slip away.

"I'll come with you," Finn said, catching her wrist.

"Of course you will…" she muttered. Rabia tugged on her wrist, but Finn didn't let go. He dragged her over to the punch. "Damn it, let go of me!" she scowled. "Why are you even here?"

"I come here to celebrate Farore's Day every year," he answered. "Just like everyone else."

"... I really want to punch you," Rabia muttered. Finn smirked and handed her some punch.

"Here," he said.

"No, thanks. It's probably poisoned," Rabia said. She pulled her wrist free from his grip with a scowl. Ganondorf was a decent distance away, eyeing the two suspiciously. He excused himself from his conversation with another guest and made his way over to the punch table. He smiled and bowed slightly to Rabia.

"Rabia," he said in greeting.

"King Ganondorf! Hi… how are you?" she asked. "Staying out of trouble?" He laughed.

"What are you drinking?" he asked.

"Well…according to Finn it's punch but I haven't dared to drink it," Rabia shrugged. Finn scowled at her. Ganondorf turned to the punch bowls and poured her another drink. He handed it to her and took the other cup for himself.

"Oh… thank you," Rabia smiled at him and sipped from the new drink. Finn glared at Ganondorf from behind her.

"Would you like to dance, Rabia?" Finn asked, trying to pull her attention back to him.

"No. Go find some other girl to harass," she said. "I'm sure there are plenty of gullible, naive girls here for you to take advantage of." Finn wandered off with a scowl. "...Thanks. He's annoying," Rabia said to Ganondorf. He offered his arm to Rabia.

"It's not a problem. Maybe you'd care to dance with me instead?"

"Sure," she smiled and took his offered arm. He led her to the dance floor, his cape flowing behind him.

"So how long have you been a member of the castle's band?"

"Oh… a few years. Music is kind of a… family thing," she shrugged. "King Hyrule used to hire my dad all the time when I was little so it just kind of happened."

"Rabia!" Saul stomped over and pulled her away. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Um… well, I was dancing but I guess now I'm standing here," she said. Saul's eye twitched.

"Don't sass me, young lady," he said. She sighed.

"Dad, this is Ganondorf. Ganondorf, this is my father, Saul…" she rolled her eyes. Ganondorf bowed before holding his hand out. Saul took the offered hand and shook, giving Ganondorf a hard stare.

"Ganondorf, I've heard so much about you… tell me, what exactly is your interest in my daughter?"

"Oh, my goddesses… dad… damn, I have to get back. I'll see you later, Ganondorf," Rabia waved to him as she hurried back over to the band. Saul raised an eyebrow.

"Well?"

"She's an interesting girl," Ganondorf said. "I merely wished to know her better."

"Oh really?" Saul said, eyes flashing. "She may look like one of your people, but she's _my_ daughter. I don't need you stepping in to turn her into one of your little thieves. Got it?"

"By all means, that was not my intention," Ganondorf stated. "You have little to worry about."

"...I've got my eye on you," Saul muttered. He gave Ganondorf a warning glance before stalking back over to his wife. Sheik suddenly appeared in front of Ganondorf.

"Princess Zelda requests your audience in the throne room," he said. Ganondorf wordlessly followed him inside the castle. When they reached the room, Zelda looked at him, an eyebrow raised.

"King Ganondorf, could you tell me why we found one of your workers stealing from the gem room?" Zelda asked, gesturing to a Gerudo girl standing near them in cuffs. Both Aveil and Ganondorf looked at Zelda, eyebrows raised.

"Aveil is not my 'worker,' she is an active member of my tribe," he corrected. "I have no knowledge of her thievery. Why are you here? You know the Gerudo are forbidden from entering the castle," he said to Aveil. Aveil shrugged.

"Seemed pretty unfair to me that you were the only Gerudo allowed in the castle. Oh, and your little girlfriend…" Zelda narrowed her eyes.

"To whom are you referring?" Zelda asked. Aveil raised an eyebrow.

"The girl playing in your band."

"Rabia isn't a Gerudo," Zelda stated. Aveil just stared at her, then looked at Ganondorf.

"Is she for real right now?"

"Aveil, quiet. You don't have any right to comment on the Princess' decision. Return what you took and go home." Aveil scowled and, after she was uncuffed, slunk out of the castle. "Was that all, Princess?" he bowed low to her. "I apologize for her actions. She can be… unruly."

"Don't let it happen again," Zelda said. "I think it'd be best if you head home too." Ganondorf hesitated, then bowed low.

"As you wish."

* * *

OCs: Rabia (Zelda's friend/hired musician/main character), Cecil (Kaikoura's father/hired musician/famous musician), Kaikoura (Zelda's friend/Sheik's SO), Saul (Rabia's father/famous musician), Petra (Rabia's mother), Finn (Rabia's ex-fiance),


	5. (feels like I'm) Clinging to a Cloud

Rabia charms Ganondorf with her awkward flirting and they share a sweet moment together. Zelda tells Rabia her tragic backstory.

3248 words

* * *

"Daaaaaaaad! DAAAAAAAAAAAD! Where is my hair straightener?" Rabia asked, running downstairs. Saul blinked, looking up from his cereal.

"Oh. Um… Chase and Lance wanted to… use it." She crossed her arms.

"So, where is it?"

"Uh… broken," Saul said.

"... You owe me a new one," she scowled. "I guess I'm not going anywhere today."

"Your hair looks fine! Besides, didn't you have plans with Kaikoura?"

"We're going to hang out at her house and play video games. Basically not going anywhere."

"Then why does it matter that your hair looks good?"

"Because it just does, Dad," she scowled.

"... Are you really going to Kaikoura's house, or are you meeting up with Ganondorf somewhere?"

"I'm really going to Kaikoura's house. Ugh, fine, I'll just straighten my hair there. I'm sure Cecil has a straightener I can borrow," she shrugged. Saul snorted.

"He probably has ten. And some makeup, if you want." He rolled his eyes.

"He's very pretty! Don't be mean. You're just jealous you can't be that hot."

"... I'm gonna tell him you said that," Saul smirked.

"Go ahead. He'll take a compliment," she shrugged and left the house. She knocked on the door of Croft Manor.

"Hellooooo Rabia," the door opened, and a tall man with blond and black hair greeted her.

"Hey Nasty…" she slid past him. "What's up?" He looked her up and down.

"You look nice and dressy… you guys going out somewhere?" he asked.

"Nope. We're going to play video games," she shrugged. "I just have some more plans a little bit later." He nodded in understand.

"With good old Ganondorf?" He grinned at her stupefied look.

"W-wh….?! How did you even know about that?!" she cried. Without another word, he wandered away. She grumbled to herself under her breath and made her way upstairs. "Hey Kaiky," Rabia said, entering the room. Kaikoura was sitting on her bed, typing away on her computer.

"Oh, hey…" Kaikoura looked her up and down. "Going somewhere?"

"Later," Rabia shrugged. "Can I commandeer a hair straightener? Mine is broken." Kaikoura shrugged.

"There's one in my bathroom. The heat protectant is next to my mirror, just so you know." She continued to bore Rabia with her talk about hair health. Rabia stared at her blankly.

"Sweet, thanks." Rabia grabbed it, then they started to play video games. Kaikoura was just about to win Mario Kart when Cecil ran in. Rabia passed her and won in first place. "HAH! I won!" she said excitedly. Kaikoura grumbled.

"I just got a wonderful phone call from your father!" Cecil said pleasantly. Rabia groaned.

"Typical…" she muttered. "He's so just… no…"

"Thank you for the compliment, by the way," he said. "So, what do you girls have planned for the rest of the day?"

"Oh, um… nothin' much. Gonna meet up with Zelda a little later for some… thing," Rabia shrugged. "I don't really know." Cecil shook his head.

"Do we ever really know with her?" he said with a chuckle. "So, no plans to meet up with the boys?"

"Yes, all the boys that chase after me, Dad…" Kaikoura said sarcastically.

"I dunno, Sheik seems to like you," Rabia said, nudging her. Kaikoura just gave her a look. "No, no boys." Cecil clapped his hands together with a smile.

"Perfect! I have an errand for you guys then." The two groaned and rolled their eyes.

"Dad, we already have plans with Zel-" Kaikoura tried.

"Take Val to the doctors, stop by the market and get some milk, and I need some more shampoo in the downstairs bathroom." He dropped some rupees on nearest surface. "Take Nason with you if you'd like; he's been in the house nearly all week. He's driving me crazy." He turned and left the room, not hearing another sigh from the two.

"As if we needed plans?" Kaikoura sighed. "We'll leave in an hour."

"As soon as possible, ladies!" Cecil called from down the hallway. Rabia grumbled and stood up, pulling Kaikoura up as well.

"The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can go to the castle," she muttered. They headed downstairs.

"Nasty! Vallon! Come on, let's go!" Kaikoura called from the hall. Nasty looked at them from the stairwell.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Errands," Rabia said with a groan.

"Vallon, come on, you're slow," Kaikoura called again. Her brother slowly meandered out of his bedroom, coughing deeply. "Don't cough on me." As soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs, they left, at a slower pace than they would've liked due to Vallon's coughing.

"... My guess is that my dad put Cecil up to this," Rabia mumbled to Kaikoura.

"One-hundred percent correct," Nasty interjected. "I overheard them on the phone."

"What's he think I'm gonna do? Run off to the desert?" she asked. Nasty nodded. "WOOOOW he's dumb. And I guess you're here to make sure we don't do that." He nodded once more. She rolled her eyes at him. "It's just a date. I mean, not a date. I'm going to Zelda's."

"You're a terrible liar," Kaikoura said.

"I know." They got Vallon to the doctors and sat in the waiting room while he was assessed. "Come on Nastyyyy, can't you just like… do this FOR us…?" Kaikoura came back from getting Nasty a frozen yogurt and handed it to him.

"Thank yooou!" he said. "See, you're sucking up the wrong way," he said to Rabia. She gave him huge puppy dog eyes.

"Pleeeeease?"

"Tell you what, I'll think about it," Nasty said. He licked at his frozen yogurt. "Mmm, pistachio!" Vallon came back soon enough with a medicine prescription and some tissues.

"I have bronchitis," he said miserably.

"Ewwww!" Rabia said.

"Nice, smoke another one, loser!" Kaikoura said. Nasty gave him a sympathetic look.

"I feel for you, kid. Let's get some frozen yogurt while we wait for his prescription to be filled," he suggested.

"But… you already have frozen yogurt," Rabia pointed out.

"But heee doesn't! And he deserves a froyo!" Nasty stated.

"Rabia and I are going to go ahead to the market and get the milk," Kaikoura said. "We will be back." They walked away.

"... Are we actually going to come back?" Rabia asked once they were out of earshot.

"By Din, no! And we are NOT getting milk, we are just straight up outta here!" Kaikoura replied.

"Awesome. I just wanted to make sure I was reading that right," she said.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

They were let straight into the throne room. Zelda was pacing in front of her throne anxiously.

"Oh, thank the goddesses!" she said, pulling them both into a hug. "I was so worried when you didn't show up on time!"

"Sorry, Zelda. My dad told Cecil to send us on a bunch of errands. We had to bring Vallon to the doctors," Rabia said. Kaikoura rolled her eyes.

"The idiot got bronchitis."

"Oh… I thought something terrible had happened," she said. Rabia blinked.

"Why would you think something terrible happened?"

"I just… I had this awful dream last night… there was a demon and… and everything was dark," she shuddered. "I was just worried."

"Zelda, you have to stop worrying about your dreams," Rabia frowned. "They aren't real."

"I know, I know… it made me so nervous, though..." Zelda bit her lip. "As long as you're okay... Rabia, Ganondorf will be here any minute so we should go to our meeting place soon."

"Alright, sounds good," Rabia said. "I'm pretty sure our dads know what's going on so if they show up… we're at Sheik's house. Okay?" Zelda hesitated.

"Your father doesn't approve? Neither approve?" She looked at Rabia with worry.

"Um… nope. Not at all. It's actually kind of a miracle that I even got out of the house this morning," Rabia said. "But I kinda figured that standing Ganondorf up is probably worse than getting grounded…" Zelda sighed and shook her head.

"Alright, fine..." She took a step closer to her friend and set a hand on her shoulder. "Just... be really careful, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, okaaay," Rabia said, pulling Zelda into a hug. "You're such a worrier. Seriously, you're gonna get wrinkles. I'll be home before dark, we probably won't leave Hyrule and I don't kiss on the second date. It'll be fiiiine." She didn't look convinced.

"Let's just head to the courtyard," she sighed. Rabia nodded and followed her outside with the others to wait for Ganondorf. They weren't waiting long before he arrived on horseback. He smiled grandly down at Rabia before he dismounted, cape billowing behind him. He bowed slightly to the girls.

"Hi, Ganondorf," Rabia smiled at him. "How was your trip?"

"Not too bad," he said.

"Good, I'm glad. Um… did you want to go get some ice cream or something?"

"I'll let you choose what you want to do this time. Ice cream sounds good to me," he said.

"Alright, awesome," she smiled again and waved to Zelda and Kaikoura over her shoulder as they walked off. "So there's a little ice cream shop in Castle Town that makes really good ice cream and it's pretty warm today…" Ganondorf smiled.

"Lead the way." Rabia smiled and led him to a small hut at the edge of Castle Town market. It was right in the sun and had a few tables outside nearby. They stood in the sparsely populated line and looked over the large menu board by the order window. "Do you know what you'll get?" he asked.

"Hmm… I really like the cookie dough," she said, tilting her head. "Or maybe the mint." She looked at him. "What about you?" she smiled. He thought for a moment before shrugging.

"I don't know... what do you suggest?"

"Hmm… the cake batter is good," she said to him. "Actually… I think you'll like cotton candy," she nodded. It was their turn to order. "We'll have a cotton candy and a cookie dough," she said to the man running the shop. He emerged a moment later with two cones topped with ice cream, and handed it to them through the window. Rabia suddenly laughed. "Your hand is easily three times the size of that cone." Ganondorf shrugged with a smile and they walked over to the tables nearby to take a seat. "So… your horse is pretty cute…" she said, licking her ice cream.

"Thank you, I picked him out myself," he said with a smirk. Rabia just started laughing.

"I'm sorry, I'm so bad at this…" she said.

"Bad at what?" he questioned. "Eating ice cream?" He was nearly done with his cone.

"Yes, exactly," she nodded. "I'm a terrible ice cream eater," Rabia said. "Worst one there is. Okay so… I have a question that might be a deal breaker for me," she said seriously. He waited for her to continue. "Do you… like cats?" she asked. He paused for a moment before he blinked.

"Hm..." He scratched his beard thoughtfully. "I've never really considered myself a cat or a dog person. Some of them I like and some of them I don't." He shrugged. She eyed him shrewdly.

"... Good answer," she said after a moment. "Either way, you're still hot," she shrugged. "Oh shit did I just say that out loud…" He laughed as she attempted to hide behind her ice cream.

"'Hot' you say? Really?" He finished the last bite of the cone. "I'll take it, sure. Thank you. You're not too bad either." He smirked. She blushed darker.

"We're just going to pretend I did not say that. Okay? That never happened." She finished her ice cream and threw out their napkins. "So… what's your favorite book?" she asked curiously. "Or color? Hobbies?"

"My favorite book? Probably The Hollowed Plains by Kalilah Layali. My mothers never let me read it as a child, so it sticks out in my mind now I guess. What about you?"

"Um… my favorite book is Harry Potter," she said. "Probably the third or the seventh one… but it can alternate between that and The Lord of the Rings." He shook his head.

"I don't think I've ever read those," he admitted.

"What? How… how could you…" she blinked. "I don't understand what you just said. Could you repeat that for me?" He rolled his eyes and laughed.

"I know, I know, I had a very sheltered childhood, okay? I promise I'll read them." He smiled. "As for my favorite color, I like black." He raised an eyebrow. "Can you tell?"

"Okay but… black technically isn't a color," Rabia said. "So what's your second favorite? You seem like a yellow guy."

"I'm going to have to go with green, actually," he said. "It reminds me of Hyrule." He nodded.

"Yeah that's… actually pretty accurate," Rabia smiled. "My favorites are purple and gold. Just because," she shrugged. "And what about hobbies? What do you do in your spare time?"

"I play some instruments, mostly organ. You play the flute, if I remember correctly. How long have you been doing that?"

"Organ? That's so cool! I've played flute for about nine years, I think. I play other things too, just… not as much," she shrugged. "How long have you been playing organ?" He laughed shortly.

"Oh Din, I'm afraid if I told you, you'd realize how old I really am." He shook his head. "Can't share that, sorry."

"Should I be worried?" Rabia asked, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, if you're older than my dad I might have to draw a line there…" she laughed. "But you'd definitely look good for your age." He raised an eyebrow.

"I'll give you a hint," he said. "I've been playing the organ since before you were born." Rabia giggled.

"Oh, I see… you must be pretty good at it then, huh?" He shrugged and gave her a small, smug smile.

"I'm alright, I suppose. You'll have to come see my music room sometime. I don't play the flute myself, but I'd love to hear you play again."

"I just might have to," Rabia smiled at him softly. They conversed for long time before Ganondorf stood from his seat and held out his hand. It was late afternoon by now.

"Come on," he said. She stayed rooted to where she was.

"Where are we going?" she questioned. He grabbed her hand anyway and led them away from the ice cream shop. Rabia was glad he was looking where he was going and not at her because she was sure he would see how red she was. They waded through crowds of people and made their way across town until they reached the elaborate fountain at the center of the square. The water was blue and clear, and small rupees of many colors littered the floor. Ganondorf dug into his vest pocket and handed her a red rupee.

"You go first," he said.

"Oh… okay," she said. She thought about it for a minute, then made her wish silently and tossed the rupee. "... did I get it in?" she asked, turning back around. He quickly pushed it off the edge where it had landed into the water.

"Yep, it made it. What'd you wish for?"

"I can't tell you or it won't come true!" she said to him. He narrowed his eyes and smiled.

"Right, stick to that excuse then." He drew another rupee out from his pocket and closed his eyes. After a second, he tossed the jewel into the water as well.

"What did you wish for?" she asked with a mischievous smile. He took a step closer to her.

"I can only tell you if you promise it'll come true," he said. He glanced at her. Rabia blushed.

"Okay. I promise," she smiled. He smiled back at her before he leaned in and kissed her. Rabia stood unmoved and in shock. After a moment, she closed her eyes and kissed back. Ganondorf wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer before he pulled back.

"Good thing I made you promise," he said.

"Y-Yeah…" she stuttered. "And all I wished for was hand holding…" she laughed.

"I guess that's only fair since my wish came true." He stepped away and held his hand out to her. Rabia smiled and took his hand, walking back towards the castle with him. They crossed through the castle gates and into the courtyard where Zelda and Kaikoura were still waiting. Neither smiled as the two approached. Ganondorf turned to Rabia. "I'd like to see you again."

"Yeah, okay," she said to him quietly, still holding his hands. "That'd be nice."

"I'll come by for you next week." He kissed the back of her hand before he mounted his horse again. He nodded to the other two girls before he set off. Once he was out of sight, Rabia slowly turned to her friends. They looked unimpressed.

"He kissed your hand, I saw that," Kaikoura said. Zelda sighed and shook her head.

"Rabia... you're really just encouraging him. You need to just be honest and polite about it and tell him no."

"But… he's so charming! I can't help it!" Rabia said. "It's really hard to say no to that!" Both frowned.

"You're blushing, Rabia," Zelda sighed. She motioned for Rabia to follow her. "I guess I should show you something." She led them wordlessly into the castle and down its many winding halls. She stopped at a large set of double doors and pulled a large key from her sleeve. She unlocked the doors and gently pushed them open. They were inside a large, dark bedroom. On the far side of the room was a fireplace, and above that was a portrait of the royal family. Zelda looked over the painting sadly and then sat on the bed in the room. She remained quiet for a moment. "This is where my father was sitting when Ganondorf killed him," she said quietly. "Many others were probably awoken by him too late in the night, only to be slain a second later." She clenched her fists. "Do you understand why you can't trust him? He is an evil man, Rabia. My father trusted him too, but it was all just a lie." She looked up at Rabia. "He only cares about himself and what he wants. It could be a matter of time before he does the same to you."

"You think he's planning on killing me?" Rabia asked. "Wouldn't be the worst date I've ever been on," she muttered. "You're right, you're right…" she sighed. "I'm falling for his tricks the same way everyone else does. I'll break it off with him." Zelda breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad... if you need someone to break the news to him with you, Link and I will certainly be happy to help." She stood from the bed and hugged her friend. "I'm sorry..."

"Is it sad that those two dates were probably the best ones I've ever been on? Seriously, he's killed people and he was better at relationship-type stuff than Finn," Rabia sighed. "Ugh, whatever. I'll just get a dozen more cats." Kaikoura gave her a thumbs up.

"Cats are always good!" she cheered. Zelda smiled at Rabia.

"Trust me, there's a good guy out there that's interested in you. You just had to go through the bad ones first." She patted her on the back and led them out of the room.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (Zelda's friend/hired musician), Saul (Rabia's father/famous musician), Lance (Rabia's younger brother), Chase (Rabia's youngest brother), Kaikoura (Zelda's friend/Sheik's SO), Cecil (Kaikoura's father/hired musician/famous musician), Nasty[Nason] (One of Cecil's housemates/Kaikoura's friend), Vallon (Kaikoura's younger brother),


	6. Not Afraid (to fall)

Rabia sneaks off for another desert date and meets Nabooru.

2619 words

* * *

A few nights later, Princess Zelda was hosting a charity event for injured soldiers at the castle. She had gone all out on planning the gala. Her chefs prepared their finest meals and her musicians played all through the night. Only the richest families in Hyrule had been invited and they were making donations at various times during the night. Naturally, Zelda brought Link with her. Sheik, as a prince, was expected to attend and he brought Kaikoura along with him. Rabia was there as one of the many musicians. She had just gone on break when a man a little smaller than her bumped into her, nearly knocking her over. He steadied his drink with a small gasp.

"I apologize, I wasn't looking where I was going!" he said. He was dressed in regal purples and wore an elaborate jeweled brooch on his cloak, which had been knocked to the floor as they bumped.

"Is this yours?" Rabia asked. She handed the item to him. He smiled and bowed.

"Thank you," he stammered. She smiled at him.

"No problem." She wandered off to chat with others and get a drink as well. She noticed that the man kept looking over at her. Once she had returned to her post, she turned to see if he was still watching. He had gone missing in the crowd, so she shrugged and resumed on her flute once more. Link was impressing Zelda with his waltz on the floor, and Sheik and Kaikoura had joined a drinking game by the bar. The event was a huge success, so Rabia was thrilled when she was allowed an extra break. She skipped merrily toward her friends at the bar when she was once again stopped by the short purple man. He smiled at her, staring at her with his bright red eyes. He extended a hand to her.

"Would you like to dance?" he offered.

"Oh… um…" she peeked around his shoulder at her friends. They were obviously very drunk. "Sure, why not?" she said, taking the offered hand. She let him lead her onto the dance floor to dance to one of the slow songs. "I'm Rabia," she said to him after a silence. "What's your name?" He smiled.

"Nice to meet you Rabia. I'm Lord Vaati," he answered. "Does the princess throw big parties like this often?"

"Often enough for me to keep a steady job," Rabia smiled. "At least once every other week."

"Wow..." he said in awe. He twirled them around, his long pale hair flowing behind him. "So you live in town then? Or even in the castle?" He looked at her, impressed.

"I live in town," she smiled. "Though I do spend a lot of time here between practicing with the band and other things." He grinned.

"That sounds so nice. The castle is so big and beautiful."

"Yeah, it is… my favorite part of it is the courtyard," Rabia said. "It's pretty much a huge garden. At night it's lit up with fairy lights." His eyes got big.

"Yeah? Wow, that sounds fantastic..." He continued to twirl them in circles, deftly avoiding stepping on her toes.

"...Do you want to see?" She asked, giggling at his expression. He suddenly stopped, nodding.

"Yes, I would love to see this garden." The two exited the ballroom, seen by no one as they slipped away. Rabia led him down a stone pathway through the garden to a small gazebo set off to the side.

"The band usually plays over here… the pianist and sometimes a soloist are on the gazebo… but the scenery is nice." There was a fountain nearby, and a weeping cherry tree draped in white fairy lights, with actual fairies fluttering about the blossomed looked at everything wide-eyed, his mouth agape.

"Wow...wow..." he continued to repeat softly. Rabia sat down on the piano bench, plunking out a simple but pretty melody.

"It's a nice place to think," she said. Vaati shuffled over and took a seat beside her, tapping on a few keys himself.

"You play the piano too?" he asked.

"Only a little," she answered. "Nothing fancy but... I can play a few simple ones." Rabia started playing the melody of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Vaati sat down beside her to listen, before adding in a bass part as well. Rabia smiled to herself. "You're really good..."

"Thank you," he said with a blush. She gave him a small smile as they finished their piece.

"Well... it's getting late... the party will be wrapping up soon, so I'd better get back." He stood from the bench and bowed.

"Right, yes... thank you for dancing with me." He smiled at her again.

"I'll see you later," she said, then wandered back inside. Zelda was saying goodbye to the wealthy aristocrats that had attended the event. Rabia snuck in so Zelda didn't see her and made her way over to where the band was packing up to gather her things. Cecil was giving her strange looks. "...What?" Rabia asked.

"I didn't see Ganondorf here tonight… where did you disappear to?" he asked.

"Just out to the courtyard. It's nice outside," she shrugged as she put her flute back into its case. "Besides… I don't think Ganondorf and I are going to be a thing much longer. You don't have to worry about that." Cecil clapped.

"Oh good! He's no good anyway." He patted Rabia's shoulder roughly. "You should tell your father if you haven't already." He turned to finish picking up his stuff before he walked away.

"Yeah… thanks…" she grabbed her music and went to find her dad for her ride home.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

It was early morning when Rabia snuck out of her house. The sun was starting to rise, and her whole family was still asleep. She got her horse ready to go, even though he was kinda grumpy about being woken up so early.

"Come on Duke… we have to go," she said, stroking his mane. "I'll buy you a yummy caaaarroooot…" His ears perked up and he trotted out of the stables. Rabia mounted the horse and they galloped off to meet Ganondorf in Hyrule Fields. It was nearly noon by the time she saw his horse approaching over a nearby hill. He waved to her in the distance. Rabia urged her horse towards him, meeting him at the top.

"Hi!' She chirped, hopping off her horse. Duke nudged her, nearly knocking her over. "Hey, stop, you'll get your carrot later," she scowled at him. He dismounted as well and gave Rabia a big smile.

"Hello. It feels like it's been so long since I last saw you." He laughed. "Did you want to rest before we head to Gerudo Valley?" he asked.

"No, I'm good," she said. Duke nudged her again. "Oh, you're such an asshole!" she poked his nose. "Stop it." She remounted the horse. "I'll follow you." He tossed her a carrot.

"Just give it to him," he said with a laugh. He jumped back on his horse and trotted back from the direction he had come from.

"Oh. Thanks," she laughed. Duke munched on it happily before trotting off after Ganondorf. "He's a pain," she said, shaking her head.

"Kind of like you?" he joked.

"Woooow, ruuuuude!" she laughed. "But… yeah, I guess that's why I like him so much." Duke snorted and tossed his head. He laughed.

"I warn you, it's a bit of a journey to get to the valley."

"I'm sure we can handle it," she smiled. He smiled as well and trekked on. Nearly two hours later, the path from Hyrule Field disappeared. They were rounding a small cliff, and the earth below them changed from grassy to red and clay-like. Rabia looked behind her to see that the castle was out of sight by now.

"We'll be in the valley soon," Ganondorf called over his shoulder. Duke picked up the pace to catch up to Ganondorf's horse. Rabia was beginning to feel the heat, and fanned herself with her hand.

"How is there just such a sudden change from Hyrule's weather here?" she asked. Ganondorf laughed.

"It's still pretty cool here; wait until we get to the desert." Rabia huffed. Soon, they crossed a tiny bridge and then reached another larger wooden bridge. Rabia led her horse over it with caution. She looked over the edge with a gulp. A river stretched endlessly below her, the current so fast that the water appeared to be staying still. She quickly looked back up and hurried after Ganondorf. As they disembarked from the bridge, Rabia noticed three Gerudo guards standing by the edge. They watched her curiously and bowed as Ganondorf passed.

The valley suddenly seemed more populated, with some tents littered about and groups of women and children going about their lives. Rabia tried her best to look ahead of her as some of the villagers turned to stare at them. Once they reached the other side of the tiny outer village, they continued on into an entrance between the valley's tall walls. And soon after that, they ascended a small set of steps. Before them was a massive, impressive fortress, guarded heavily by many women with spears.

"I live just beyond the fortress," he said. The guards bowed as he went by, though they eyed Rabia with suspicion. The sand slipped from under their horses' hooves, making the trip drag on. They climbed a steep hill before finally reached a building similar to the fortress. The only difference were the three towers atop it.

"This is where you live?" she asked. He smiled.

"Yeah." They dismounted their horses and he waited for her to catch up to him.

"I hope you have air conditioning or something," she panted. Ganondorf laughed and led her inside. "Wow…" she looked around with wide eyes. The entryway was large and spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows to tempt in a breeze. The red drapes were pulled away from them, letting the sun cast off the golden walls. Ganondorf took Rabia's hand and led her up a spiral staircase to the top of the right-hand tower. There was a massive, circular room, with an organ built along the wall. "Wow… Your house is beautiful." She sat down on one of the chairs. "And now you have to play me something." He grinned and took a seat before the organ.

"I suppose I could play one song," he said. He searched through a box of music for the piece he wanted, then selected Bach's Fantasia in C Major and started to play. Rabia jumped at the first note, surprised at the volume, but smiled as he continued to play.

"That was pretty," Rabia said when he finished, giving him a smile. "So… do you play the rest of the instruments you have in here, too?" she asked, tilting her head. "I mean, I would imagine piano is similar to the organ in some ways… but the cello?" He laughed.

"I actually haven't touched the cello in a while, but I can play it," he said. "Unfortunately, I don't have a flute for you to play for me. Is that the only instrument you play?"

"No. I play piccolo and guitar, too. I can kind of play piano and clarinet but… you wouldn't want to hear that." He laughed again.

"Oh come on, I'm sure it's not that bad." He motioned to the piano. "You can play if you'd like." She gave him a look.

"I feel bad for your ears," she said, sitting at the piano. "Hmm… I'm going from memory, so hopefully it'll be okay..." She started playing I Won't Say I'm In Love from Hercules, not that Ganondorf knew that. He stood behind her and watched as she played. She finished the piece and looked up at him. "I think I skipped a verse," she started laughing.

"Sounded pretty good to me," he answered. He set his hands on her shoulders.

"Oh, thanks," she said, still giggling. "Oh well, could've been worse I guess." She turned around on the bench to look at him.

"It sounded nice." He leaned down and planted a kiss on her lips. Rabia smiled and kissed him back. There was a quiet cough from the doorway and she pulled away quickly.

"Sorry to interrupt, Ganondorf," a woman was standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, staring at him with steely eyes. Ganondorf looked at her.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I just heard rumors that you had brought a friend," she said. She raised an eyebrow. "Do you remember the conversation we had about this?" Ganondorf narrowed his eyes.

"Nabooru, get out. It's none of your concern who I bring into the desert." She laughed.

"Really? This is none of my business?" She stepped into the room. "You have one duty, Ganondorf, and that is to protect the Gerudo people. Are you aware that this girl is close friends with the princess?"

"Why should that matter?" he growled. "Like I said, this is none of your business. Get out." Nabooru looked at Rabia suspiciously.

"Don't get your hopes up with the stunts he's pulling now. The romance is gone quickly, I can assure you." She looked at Ganondorf again with a frown. "You might want to wipe the lipstick off." She turned and left the room, fuming. Ganondorf wiped at his mouth with his sleeve.

"I thought it looked good!" Rabia said. "I'm guessing she's an ex?" He sighed.

"Not exactly," he muttered. "She's my second-in-command. Don't worry about her, she's always angry." He took a seat next to Rabia on the piano bench. Rabia kissed his cheek.

"Alright," she smiled. "I'll take your word for it." She took his hand in hers. He smiled back. She glanced out the window and gasped. "Shit! It's getting late, I have to go, Ganondorf." He hopped up from the bench and led her outside.

"I'll take you to Hyrule Field. You know where to go from there?" he said.

"Yeah," she smiled. "Thank you." They got back on their horses and she followed him back to Hyrule Field. "That was fun," she smiled. "Text me, okay?" He smiled.

"Will do." He turned and left her alone in the field. The sun was starting to set, so Rabia urged her horse into a gallop on the pathway towards castle town. She arrived home just after dark and went inside after she fed Duke another carrot.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

"And where were you all day?" Saul asked as soon as the door closed behind her, hands on his hips. "You ignored my texts, you didn't leave a note, I was about to send out a search party!" Rabia blinked.

"Oh… sorry," she checked her phone. "Huh. It died on me. Anyway, I was breaking up with Ganondorf," she said. "I could've sworn I left you a note…"

"WHAT?! You went to see him ALONE?!" Saul sat down on the couch and took a few, deep breaths.

"Yeah, I didn't think having an audience for a break-up was a great idea…" Rabia muttered. "That would be really bitchy." Saul closed his eyes.

"I'm glad you're done with him, Rabia, but that was really dangerous," he said slowly. "Just… go to bed."

"It's 7 o'clock," she replied.

"Go. To. Bed."

"Ugh, fiiiine…" she went upstairs to her room. Saul sighed to himself. Petra walked in and sat down beside him.

"Are you alright, honey?"

"I can feel the grey hairs, Petra… that girl is going to be the death of me," he said, shaking his head. Petra rubbed his back.

"Awww… okay, let's go cuddle, then. That always makes you feel better." She kissed his cheek and they went upstairs too.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (Zelda's friend/hired musician/main character), Kaikoura (Zelda's friend/Sheik's SO), Cecil (Kaikoura's father/hired musician/famous musician), Saul (Rabia's father/famous musician), Petra (Rabia's mother)


	7. You Found Me

Rabia reveals how devious she can be to get what she wants. Link and Zelda finally go on a date.

3297 words

* * *

Rabia met Zelda the next morning by the latter's request. They sat in the courtyard, Zelda in a light sundress. She smiled at her friend and handed her a piece of paper.

"I was told to give this message to you. It seems he didn't know how else to contact you." Rabia unfolded the paper and scanned it over. She nodded.

"This is from some man I met at your soldier benefit event," Rabia said. "He was really cute." She looked at Zelda. Zelda grinned.

"Really? Does he want to see you again?" Rabia nodded and Zelda's smile only grew. "You should see him! He's from a place to the east of Hyrule." Suddenly, Rabia lit up; a devilish idea had come to her. She smiled at her friend.

"You think I should?" she asked. Zelda nodded eagerly. "Send him a message that I'll meet him again, then!" Zelda clapped.

"I will certainly do so!" She nudged her friend. "See, I told you there are some good guys out there, didn't I?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Rabia said. "There's no use in pining over someone like Ganondorf."

"That's right, especially when you're out of his league," she encouraged. "Let's get you a new outfit to meet him in! We can go shopping after the council meeting this afternoon." Rabia smiled.

"Okay, that sounds fun," she said. "He really likes the color purple." She twirled a strand of her hair. "What's the meeting about?" she asked. "Is there something going on?" Zelda sighed and rolled her eyes.

"We have to discuss possibly lowering tax rates. We just lowered them to the current rate a few months ago and everyone was so happy with it. It's just..." She shook her head and sighed again.

"How fascinating. Are you making me go to this?" Rabia asked. Zelda pushed her playfully.

"Of course not, you'd be snoring two minutes in!" she laughed.

"I don't snore!" Rabia protested. "But you're right, I'd die of boredom." Zelda giggled.

"You don't have to come with me." She bit back a smile and edged closer to her friend. "I kissed Link at the wounded soldier benefit event," she whispered.

"You WHAT?!" Rabia gasped. "Oh, the scandaaaal!" she started giggling. "I'm just kidding, totally saw that coming." She nudged Zelda. "Since like… the day I met you." Rabia laughed and Zelda waved her off with a smile.

"Oh shhhh. Nothing has happened since then, it was just one kiss," she said. She paused. "But you can't tell anyone. I've only told Sheik."

"Just a kiss? What the hell, Zelda! You two are my OTP. I demand future kisses and snuggles," Rabia scowled at her. Zelda couldn't help but smile.

"Shush, come on!" She giggled. "You're gonna make me blush." A group of soldiers marched on a path nearby. Leading the group was Link, and he waved at the two. Zelda gave a small wave back. Rabia started giggling at her.

"You two are so cute!" she said, watching the soldiers pass. "Those are some nice butts…" she sighed, then shook her head. "You should ask Link out. He'd totally say yes." Zelda went wide eyed and gaped at her friend.

"I can't do that!" she hissed. "I want him to ask me... it just feels weird if I asked." She immediately pointed at Rabia. "Don't you tell him I said that...!" Rabia giggled and stood up, running after the soldiers.

"Link! Hey, Link! Wait up a sec!" she called. "Link!"

"Rabia!" Zelda cried after her. She jumped up from her spot and quickly ran to hide in the castle.

"Can't stop, Rabia. What do you need?" he asked. He continued to lead the soldiers through the courtyard. She hurried to catch up with him, having to jog to keep up his pace.

"You should totally ask out Zelda," she whispered to him. "You guys would be so cuuuuuuuuuute!" Link suddenly tripped over his own feet, landing roughly on the ground. He cleared his throat before he stood again. He motioned for the soldiers to stop and wait. He leaned closer to Rabia.

"Like... on a date?" he whispered.

"Well… yeah, what else would I mean?" she whispered back. "I bet she'd say yes," she smiled. Link blinked.

"Did... she tell you about the charity event?" he asked. He sighed. "I don't think she'd say yes... I mean, she's the princess..." He stared at his feet for a moment. "Thank you for the suggestion though." He walked back over to the other soldiers, shoulders slumped.

"Hey, hey! That wasn't a suggestion, Link!" Rabia said. "It was an ORDER! Now go!" she stared at him, arms crossed. Link frowned.

"You just want to see me make a fool of myself, don't you?" He turned and ignored her, then started to lead the soldiers off again.

"Don't ignore me!" She tripped him and sat on his back when he fell. "I'm staying here until you do it. I thought you were supposed to be brave, Link, come on!" The soldiers looked on in confusion. Link struggled underneath her.

"Hey, get off of me!" he cried. He squirmed under her and tried to pull himself out. Rabia smiled sweetly at the rest of the soldiers.

"Carry on, boys. Link has something he has to do," she said, adjusting herself to keep him pinned as he moved. "Stop wiggling and just accept it, Link!" He groaned loudly and stopped trying to escape.

"If I ask, will you get off of me?" he cried. "I can't breathe." Rabia watched the soldiers walk away.

"Are you calling me fat?" she scowled. "Yes, if you ask her out I'll get off you. If you don't, I'll know, and I'll sit on you again!"

"I swear I'll ask her," he muttered. Rabia smiled and got off him, offered him a hand up, then dusted him off.

"Good! She's in the castle," she skipped away, humming merrily to herself. She went to the courtyard garden and sat down in the gazebo to wait for Zelda to finish her meeting.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

"So, did he ask you out?" Rabia asked as Zelda joined her outside with some lunch. Zelda's face flushed.

"Yeah… he did," she said, hiding a smile.

"And you said yes, riiiiight?" Rabia asked excitedly. Zelda smiled and nodded. "Finally! It only took you guys like, I don't know… ten years," she giggled. "I gotta text Kaiky…" she got out her cell phone and started texting away.

"Rabia!" Zelda scowled.

"Whaaaat? She ships it too." Zelda rolled her eyes and allowed her to continue.

"Are you excited to go shopping after?" she asked. "Do you know what you want to wear?"

"Um… a shirt and some pants," Rabia said. She started giggling when Zelda glared at her. "I have no idea, what do you think?" she asked. Zelda touched her friend's arm.

"How do you feel about a nice top and a cute skirt?" She smiled hopefully.

"... A skirt? You really think I'm gonna wear a skirt?" Rabia raised an eyebrow at her. Zelda gave her puppy dog eyes, and Rabia sighed. "... maybe. Stop looking at me like that."

"You would look so good though, Rabia... won't you just try it? For me?" She clasped her hands together and pleaded.

"I already said maybeeee!" Rabia said. "Ugh, fine, Zelda, fine. Whatever. Let's just go shopping, okay? We have to pick something out for your date with Link, too." Zelda rolled her eyes and laughed, then led her friend out of the courtyard and the castle. Rabia skipped along beside her, humming merrily. "So how was your meeting?" she asked, looking through sundresses. Occasionally she would grab one and hand it to Zelda. "Long and boring?"

"You would probably think so," Zelda nodded. "I mean, unless you like taxes it would've been incredibly boring." She handed Rabia a few outfits as well. "Did you want some shoes too?" Zelda walked over toward the shoe section of the store they had entered. She browsed over them idly. "Just tell me when you're ready to try these dresses on! I'm surprised you picked these out for yourself; I like them though!" She looked the dresses in her hands over. Rabia frowned.

"I picked those out for you," she said. "There is no way I would wear that shade of pink, or any shade of pink, for that matter. It looks good on you, though." Zelda shrugged.

"I guess I'll try them on then if they're for me. I'll just have to wear them on our next date - that would be strange if I wore a sundress on a hike." Rabia grimaced.

"He's taking you hiking?" She facepalmed. "What the... why?" She shook her head and sighed.

"What's wrong with that? I don't mind! I think it'll be fun, I've never done it before!" Zelda chirped. Rabia raised an eyebrow.

"Not to be the bearer of bad news, Zelda, but you're not very... outdoorsy," she said. "There are going to be bugs, wild animals with diseases, icky plant life..." Zelda waved her off.

"Oh, I'll be fine, nature is beautiful." Rabia rolled her eyes as her friend continued to look at the shoes. "Ooh, how about these nice purple flats, Rabia?"

"Zeldaaaa I hate flaaats," Rabia whined. "I'm already wearing a skirt for you!" she said.

"Can't you just let me dress you like a girl for one date?" Zelda sighed.

"I always dress like a girl cause I am a girl, so there!" Rabia scowled at her. "I have black pumps at home that I wear for everything and will be fine. Let's find something for you to hike in…" Zelda trotted happily into the other end of the store.

"Should I wear shorts or pants you think? This is so exciting." She looked along at the jackets on the wall with Rabia close behind.

"I guess that would depend on where he's taking you," Rabia said. "I'd choose shorts and just bring bug spray. At least you won't get hot," she shrugged. She handed Zelda something that was cute in an outdoors-y kind of way. "Hmm… let's find some sneakers, too." They soon settled on a pair of hiking sneakers.

"Great! I'm all set. Did you try on your stuff yet?" Zelda asked. Rabia sighed.

"No… I'll go do that," she said. She tried on a few of the outfits Zelda had picked and settled on the one with the most purple. "You're absolutely sure I have to have a skirt?" she asked Zelda as they stood in line to pay. Zelda just gave her a look. "Alright, alright…" Rabia said. "...But you and Link have to take pictures on your date! I still don't know why he'd take you hiking…" She paid for her clothes and followed Zelda.

"I think he was nervous and hiking was the first thing that came to his mind. That's fine by me, though." They were soon back at the castle. Zelda smiled at her friend. "So, I'll send Lord Vaati a message tonight and let him know you want to see him again. I'll keep you posted." She waved goodbye to her friend and disappeared inside.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Rabia returned home from her day with Zelda and shut the front door behind her. Saul was in the living room, and he looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"You guys went shopping, huh? What'd you buy?"

"An outfit for a date," Rabia said. "Why?"

"I thought you broke up with Ganondorf!" Saul said.

"I did! I have a date with someone else." Saul raised his eyebrows higher.

"Oh, a new guy?" He patted the seat next to him on the couch. "Tell me about this guy; what's his name?" Rabia sighed and sat next to him.

"His name is Lord Vaati. I met him at Zelda's last charity ball. All I know about him is that he plays piano, he likes gardens, and purple is his favorite color."

"And he hasn't killed anyone?" Saul asked.

"Not that I know of," Rabia shrugged. Saul nodded.

"Well... if it goes onto a second date, I'd like to meet him. So if this date goes well, inform him that he's going to meet me next time." Rabia sighed.

"I'm going to be single forever," she said. "You're gonna scare them all off. Might as well start buying all my cats now!" she grabbed her bag. "I'm going upstairs."

"Okay, see you later drama queen," Saul called after her.

"Screw you, dad!" she called back, walking upstairs.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

"Sooo, how did the date gooo?" Rabia asked, looking between Zelda and Link with a smirk. Sheik just rolled his eyes.

"You guys went on a date?" Kaikoura asked.

"I texted you about it!" Rabia said. "Oh, never mind. They went on a date. Hiking, apparently. So, how was it?" They waited anxiously for an answer.

"Oh, the mountain was beautiful!" Zelda smiled. "The birds were singing and the sun was shining… it was wonderful!"

"What about you, Link? Did you enjoy the view?" Rabia giggled. He rolled his eyes.

"You let her wear shorts; she got eaten alive by mosquitoes," Link muttered.

"What? You didn't have bug spray? What kind of hiker are you?" Rabia scowled at him. "You butthead," she threw a balled-up napkin at him. Link scowled at her.

"I thought she'd be wearing pants! Mountains are cold!" He cried indignantly. Rabia facepalmed.

"So you offer her a coat, you walnut! Honestly, I tried so hard to help you make a move because you need all the help you can get and you still couldn't handle it." She sighed. "You need to work on your wooing skills." Zelda blushed while Link spluttered. Kaikoura was biting her lip, holding back a laugh.

"I'm not a walnut!" Link cried.

"Yes. You are," Rabia nodded.

"Yeah well… You're a… dumb person!"

"Good one."

From the shadows, a pair of piercing blue eyes watched on, unnoticed by the laughing group of friends. His eyes narrowed to slits when the princess let out a particularly happy giggle and he ground his teeth. Her happiness filled him with a blinding rage. _Kill… kill…_ he almost couldn't resist the urge to snap her neck, but he held himself back. He couldn't go out there. Not now… not yet… but soon she would succumb to his rage.

His gaze snapped to the redhead as she poked fun at Zelda's bodyguard. The bodyguard he had to get rid of if he was to get near Zelda unimpeded. The sheikah and the Hylian girl were nothing. Could be crushed like bugs, if he wanted to. But that was unnecessary. For now. The princess laughed once more and he could feel the rage burning, a fire that fueled his desire for her demise. He almost, almost growled when the redhead joined in the laughter. She reminded him of someone. Someone he loved and… despised. _I will use you to get to the princess… and then keep you for myself._ With that decided, he slunk back into the shadows and was gone, unseen, unnoticed, and unthought of. Besides, to carry on with his plan, he had to get himself a servant.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Rabia took a deep breath and smoothed out the skirt she was wearing, then glanced up at the clock. _Vaati should be here soon._ She tapped her fingers on her knee impatiently.

"Rabia! Hey!" Vaati chirped as he walked in. He sat down across from her at the table. "Whatcha up to?"

"Oh, um… nothing much. I went shopping with Zelda, but that's about it. You?" He smiled.

"I cleaned out my potion room today; it looks great!" he cheered.

"Oh, you make potions?" Rabia asked, resting her cheek on her hand and looking at him with interest. "What kind of potions do you make?"

"A little of everything," Vaati shrugged. "I also do magic!" He snapped his fingers and a small swirly ball of light appeared in his palm. Rabia gasped, surprised.

"Oh!" She laughed. "That's amazing!"

"Give me your hand," he said, waving her closer. Rabia scooted closer and held her hands out. He gently pushed the small bubble into her hand. "Just stay focused on it and it will stay."

"Whoaaa…" Rabia stared into it intently. "It's so pretty!" It started to fade, so Vaati hovered his hands under hers, reigniting the light in the ball. She looked at him with a smile, which he returned. They continued to look at each other for a long moment, and finally Rabia looked away and cleared her throat. Vaati took the ball and closed his hand, and the light disappeared. "That's really impressive. I wish I could use magic..." She sighed to herself. He inched closer to her.

"But you have your own kind of magic; it's different than mine, but still magical nonetheless," he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You make magic with your music. I can't do that." She smiled and nudged him.

"Oh hush..." She giggled. He smiled again. "What do you do for a living?" He fidgeted with his hands.

"Well, I've only recently graduated from my apprenticeship. I'm basically just starting out, but I help out at the medical clinic in the prenatal ward."

"Aww, that's so cute! You like children then?" He turned pink.

"Well, I mean, I'm better with the mothers, but I-I guess..." There was a silence. "What do you hope to do for a living?" She hummed thoughtfully.

"I really like being a musician... but if I was going to choose anything else, I think I'd want to be a veterinarian. I like animals more than most people."

"Animals are awesome!" he chirped.

"Yeah... they are," she agreed. Another awkward silence. He cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry, I'm just really nervous..." he mumbled.

"Why are you nervous?" she asked.

"I just... you're really pretty..." he said quietly.

"Oh, thank you," she smiled. "... Do you wanna go for a walk or something?" He nodded, and followed her onto a nearby path. They walked in silence for a while. The birds were singing quietly, heralding the coming night. There was a soft breeze blowing and there were few people about. The sun was setting low behind the houses as they approached the fountain in the center of town. Rabia sat down on the edge of the fountain with Vaati beside her.

 _This fountain... reminds me of-_

"I'm so happy you came out with me tonight," Vaati said with a smile. She gave a small, half-hearted smile back and watched her reflection in the water. "Is something bothering you?" He looked at her with concern. She sighed.

"Vaati... I should tell you something," she said. "I'm crazy about this guy, but my parents don't want me to see him. I was hoping this date with you would make me forget about him, but..." He touched her shoulder gently.

"I'm sorry... I wish I could help you..." She smiled at him.

"You're so sweet."

"What will you do then?" he asked. She sighed.

"I really don't know. I went to see him yesterday and told everyone I broke up with him, but I didn't... I don't know how I'm going to keep sneaking off to see him without them getting suspicious..." Rabia answered, chewing her lip. He stared at the cobblestone for a moment before he glanced up at her again.

"I could help you if you wanted... I don't mind." She looked at him, surprised.

"You would do that...?" she asked.

"Yeah. You could say you were seeing me. I don't mind playing along with it." Rabia hugged him tight. He giggled.

"Thank you so much!" Rabia said. From then on, Rabia and Vaati worked as a team to keep Rabia and Ganondorf's relationship a secret.


	8. Demons (they follow me)

An evil plot arises

582 words

* * *

Life went on in Hyrule, as the seasons turned from spring to summer, then summer to fall. Zelda and Link were now going steady with each other, and they were completely head-over-heels in love. Kaikoura and Sheik had finally saved up enough money to buy a two-bedroom house in Kakariko Village. Rabia and Ganondorf still met in secret. Vaati had kept their cover and wasn't planning to tell anyone any time soon.

Gideon watched all this progress from the shadows, never making himself known. He could see the jealousy growing within the mage, and felt it pulling at his own heart. He knew he'd have to act soon or the Gerudo king would have Rabia's heart all to himself. That was not acceptable. However, someone else had entered the game; a perfect pawn for Gideon.

Gideon spotted him outside the gates of Henderson Manor, poised to ring the bell. His eyes narrowed as he watched the man fumble with a ring in his pocket. He knew this time, he had to make himself known. He materialized out of the shadows behind the man and grabbed him roughly. His claw-like black nails dug into the man's shoulders ever-so-slightly.

"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed, his voice gravelly and deep. The man nearly jumped out of his skin. Gideon clamped a hand over his mouth before he could let out a scream. "Quiet, worm. Answer me." Gideon uncovered his mouth once he was sure the worm wouldn't scream. The man's eyes dilated in fear, breath coming out in sharp gasps.

"I-I… I was just…" he stuttered. Gideon came around so he was staring right into the worm's eyes, white cape swishing around him.

"You were just… what?" he growled. The worm's eyes hardened and the scent of fear left him.

"Visiting an old friend. And who are you?" The man raised an immaculately kept eyebrow.

"Who am I?" Gideon snarled. "It matters not. That girl is mine," he hissed. The other man laughed.

"Yours? Does she even know who you are? ...You're not a stalker, are you?" He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Move along. There's nothing for you here." He gasped as Gideon grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground.

"Watch your tongue, worm," Gideon said. "If she is yours, as you claim, you are too late. Her heart belongs to another." Gideon set him down back onto his feet and slunk back towards the shadows. The man caught his breath as Gideon's words sunk in.

"Wait… what do you mean?" he asked. Gideon snorted.

"An old friend, indeed…" he mocked. "Would an old friend not know of a friend's lover?" Gideon circled around the other man again. "I could help you back into her life, you know. For the right price…" He grinned, showing sharp, white teeth.

"What is it? I'll do anything," the other pleaded. "If I don't marry her, I don't get my inheritance." Gideon drew his upper lip back in a disgusted snarl.

"Anything? My price is your servitude," Gideon let out a hideous laugh, pulling a contract out from under his cape. He unfurled it and handed it to the other man. "Sign it, and she is yours." The other man snatched from Gideon's hands and signed his name with flourish, then handed the scroll back to him. Gideon's snarl widened into a grin and looked it over. "Welcome to hell, Finn. I hope she is worth it." He laughed deviously and disappeared.

* * *

OCs: Kaikoura (Zelda's friend/Sheik's SO), Rabia (Zelda's friend/hired musician/main character), Finn (Rabia's ex/Son-of-a-Lord), Gideon (not going to describe yet - it'd be a big spoiler. I bet you can guess, though)


	9. (live and learn and) Never Forget It

Zelda and Link have their first public outing, and Kaikoura crashes a stressful family dinner

2933 words

* * *

"Rabiaaaa!" Zelda cried, running downstairs. "Rabia, zip me up, Link will be here any minute!" she gasped. Rabia blinked and looked up from where she had been tuning her instruments. Zelda ran into the ballroom. She was holding up the top of her strapless, unzipped dress with one hand and the skirt with the other.

"Um… okay?" she laughed. She walked over to her friend and zipped the back of her dress. Zelda untied her hair and let it hang in soft waves over her shoulders. She checked her reflection in a nearby mirror. "Why are you so nervous about this? It's not like it's your first date with Link or something."

"It's my first FORMAL date with Link," Zelda said. "No one else knows about us except you, Sheik, Kaikoura… and now all these musicians," she said. "Tonight is our first public outing and it needs to be perfect." Rabia hummed.

"Alright, hold on…" she paused, looking Zelda up and down. She grinned and took a flower out of one of the arrangements on the table and a bobby pin from her own hair, and secured the flower to Zelda's hair. "Now you guys will look more coupley cause you'll match his woodsy-ness a little better," she nodded. "Now relax. Everyone in the kingdom ships it." She sat back down with the rest of the musicians, who were nodding in agreement. Zelda flushed.

"Oh, hush," she huffed. They ignored her and started playing some music, as the first guest had arrived. "Link!" Zelda waved him over, smiling warmly. The party grew from there. It was open to the public, so many of the people of Hyrule travelled from all over to attend. Saul and Petra were conversing with Cecil and Linda over by the food. Kaikoura and Sheik were occupied by Link and Zelda. No one noticed Finn slip through the crowd and up to Rabia's side as the song finished up.

"Hey Rabia… it's been a while," Finn said. Rabia jumped and closed her eyes. She sighed, counted to ten, then opened her eyes and turned to face him, a fake smile on her face.

"Oh, hey Finn! I was just about to go on my break, so if you'll excuse me…" she tried to brush by him, but he caught her wrist.

"Wouldn't you give me the honor of a dance?" he asked smoothly, quirking an eyebrow at her. He didn't wait for an answer; he pulled her into his arms and out onto the dance floor.

"I was actually hoping to grab some food…" Rabia said, trying to free herself from his grip. "This is my longest break, so…" She searched around for the familiar bulk of a certain man, but he was nowhere to be found. She bit her lip when Finn's grip tightened.

"Dance with me," he repeated. Rabia sighed and acquiesced. Luckily for her, he released her after one dance. As soon as his hands were off her, she was gone. She grabbed her food and moved over to join her friends in a large group, far away from him. Zelda gasped when she came over.

"Rabia, everyone LOVES Link! And you were totally right about the flower," she giggled, looping her arm through Link's. Link was wearing his signature green tunic and white leggings, only it was a bit more formal than his normal clothes. Rabia smiled.

"I'm happy for you two," she said. "Besides, it's not like they weren't expecting it…" Rabia winked. Zelda scowled.

"It really wasn't as obvious as you're making it sound!" she said. Rabia raised an eyebrow and Kaikoura snickered. Sheik shook his head slowly.

"It really… really was," he stated.

"Yeah well, no one asked you, Sheik!" she poked his nose. He stared at her. "Oh, fine, okay, maybe it was…" she muttered. "But… still!" she paused, staring at something passed Sheik's shoulder. "Oh no… is that... is that Finn talking to your parents, Rabia?"

"Yeah, he's… he's around again, apparently," Rabia sighed. "He made me dance with him. For once I was hoping Ganondorf would appear just to get me away from Finn. Vaati isn't… so intimidating." Zelda gave her a disapproving look.

"You broke up with him for a reason, Rabia. A very good reason! Why would he be here? Besides, he wasn't invited," Zelda said. Rabia blinked.

"But… everyone was invited."

"Everyone in Hyrule. Which apparently includes Finn. I thought he moved…" Zelda muttered.

"He was sent to finishing school," Rabia sighed. "I wish he'd have moved…" She sighed. "Oh no…" she ducked behind Zelda when Saul and Petra started coming towards her with Finn in tow.

"Rabia! Look who's here!" Petra chirped. Rabia smiled.

"Oh… Heyyy, Finn! It's been a while," she answered. The music changed to an upbeat song and Zelda gasped.

"Oh, this is my favorite! Come on Link, let's dance!" she cried, dragging Link away with her. Rabia sighed.

"I was just going to finish eating, then get back to the band…" Rabia trailed off, taking a few steps back. Saul frowned.

"Oh, right… well, Finn, how would you like to come to our house for dinner tomorrow night?" Saul asked. Rabia's face fell, but no one noticed.

"That would be wonderful, sir," Finn smiled. "I'll be there." He stalked off. Rabia gave Saul a withering look before rejoining the band.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

"Rabia! Finn will be here in twenty minutes and you aren't even dressed!" Petra frowned at her only daughter, arms crossed over her chest. "All of your brothers are ready. Even your FATHER is ready. Have you even showered yet?" she scowled. Rabia finished straightening the piece of hair she was holding and turned to look at her mother.

"I'm going to be honest here. I really don't care," she said. She finished straightening the last piece. "I look fine. There's no reason to dress up for dinner at our own house."

"He's the lord's son! You need to make yourself presentable!" Petra said. She opened Rabia's closet doors and rifled through her dresses, then set one out on the bed with some shoes. "There. That should do it…" Rabia wrinkled her nose.

"I think you're forgetting something. I HAVE a boyfriend," she snapped. She snatched the clothes off the bed and moved to her bathroom to get dressed and do her makeup.

"What? That Lord Vaati? What's he the lord of anyway? He doesn't even LIVE around here. I suspect it's a self-given title," Petra said, checking her own reflection in Rabia's vanity. "He's sweet, but he isn't very… manly." Rabia brushed passed her mother and headed downstairs.

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with. I'd prefer to keep Finn out of my life but clearly you two aren't going to let that be an option." Petra frowned.

"What happened with you two? You used to be so in love."

"Yeah, well, he's an ass, so…" she sighed. "It doesn't matter." Her older brother, Rob, wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Aww, baby sis, don't be so glum. You should see this as… a new start for you two!" he snickered. "Maybe he's not a dick anymore!" Rabia scowled and elbowed him in the ribs.

"Yeah right. I don't want a new start with Finn. I don't want anything to do wi-" she was cut off from her rant when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Rabia's youngest brother, Chase, ran to the door only to be intercepted by her other younger brother, Lance, who pulled the door open.

"Finn!" Lance cried, hugging the other man around the waist. Finn laughed and ruffled Lance's hair affectionately.

"Hey, little man! How's it going?" He noticed Chase's pout and scooped him up into his arms.

"Don't worry Chase, I didn't forget about you." He gave Chase a fist bump, as he knew Chase hated people touching his hair almost as much as his sister did. The two youngest boys ran off to the living room as Petra swept over.

"Finn! It's wonderful to see you again," she smiled at him.

"Mrs. Henderson, a pleasure as always," he kissed the back of her hand politely. "You look as young as ever. I almost thought Rabia had a sister!" Petra laughed warmly.

"Oh, such a charmer," she smiled and showed him into the living room. "Dinner will be ready soon, dear. Would you like some tea?"

"Tea sounds wonderful," Finn said. Petra gave Rabia a look. Rabia brought in two cups of tea, handing one to Finn and the other her mother, then sat down on the love seat beside Petra.

"So what have you been doing, Finn? The last we heard, you were going off to school," she smiled. Finn nodded.

"Oh, yes, I went all the way to Altea!" Finn smiled. "They have much better schooling there than here in Hyrule. For higher education, at least," he shrugged a little, smiling crookedly. Petra gasped.

"That sounds so exciting! Did you meet the Prince?" Petra asked. Rabia scrolled through her phone, uninterested.

"Oh, Prince Marth? Of course!" he smiled. "Nice guy, a little quiet. Honestly, he wasn't that special," Finn laughed. "So Rabia, what about you? What have you been doing since we last talked?" he asked. Rabia looked up from her phone.

"Sorry, what?"

"What have you been doing?" Finn repeated. His smile stayed the same, but there was a slight tightening around his eyes. Rabia chewed her lip.

"Well… I got a steady job in Zelda's personal wind ensemble… and concert band… and symphony…" she said. "I met King Ganondorf and went on a few dates with him… got a steady boyfriend and… that covers the important stuff I think," Rabia nodded.

"Boyfriend? What's his name?" Finn asked. It sounded like polite curiosity, but Rabia could see the slight frown.

"Oh! Right, sorry. His name is Lord Vaati. I met him at Zelda's charity ball for injured soldiers. He's a sweetheart. Very kind, plays the piano." She smiled. "He works as a mage in the prenatal ward of a hospital."

"Lord Vaati…?" Finn hummed thoughtfully. "Never heard of him."

"He just finished his apprenticeship a few months ago," Rabia answered.

"And you… dated a king?"

"I went on a few dates with him, yeah. Very handsome and charming; not a great guy though," she answered. Saul stepped into the room, stopping the conversation.

"Dinner is ready. The uh… the boys set the table," Saul stifled a snort.

"Oh goodness. Alright." Petra ushered Finn and Rabia to the dining room, where, unfortunately, the only open seats were right beside each other. Finn pulled Rabia's chair out for her, but she ignored him and sat down in the other seat. He frowned, but said nothing. Suddenly the doorbell rang. Saul paused, pushing his chair back in.

"Who could that be?" he wondered aloud. He walked over to the front door and pulled it open. Kaikoura gave a small wave and smiled.

"Heyy! I'm here for the pasta!" she said. "Rabia invited me." Saul narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, she did? Well, you know you're always welcome here, Kaikoura." He smiled warmly at her and lead her to the dinner table. "Kaikoura's here for dinner! Isn't that nice?" He pulled up an extra chair between Rob and Lance, and set her a spot.

"Thank you!" Kaikoura chirped. The servers came over with the food and dished it out.

"Kaiky! I'm so glad you're here!" Rabia said. "I haven't seen you in like, forever!"

"...You saw her two days ago," Saul replied.

"I was working! That doesn't count," Rabia answered. "We have so much to talk about, you don't even know." Saul rolled his eyes. There was an awkward silence.

"So Rob!" Kaikoura started. "What have you been doing lately?"

"Oh you know…" he didn't elaborate

"Hmm… sounds… interesting," Kaikoura replied. Rob nodded in agreement. She nodded back, noting his bloodshot eyes and the smell of pot. Saul sighed in disappointment.

"So Finn! You were off studying in Altea… you graduated, right?" Petra asked.

"Oh, yes! I graduated as salutatorian! Second to our valedictorian, Prince Marth. I suspect it was rigged…" he added. Kaikoura gave him a look.

"What are you trying to say about Marth?"

"His dad rigs things in his favor all the time!" Finn said. "I'm just pointing it out."

"I think you're just a sore loser," she mumbled under her breath. Rob tried to cover up a snort and failed spectacularly. Rabia bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"That's really great, Finn!" Petra said, ignoring her children and Kaikoura. "Do you plan to go into politics like your father?"

"Just what we need, more politicians," Rob grumbled, rolling his eyes. "The man! Can never get rid of 'em. They spawn like rabbits." Rabia choked on her water. Finn patted her on the back. Kaikoura glared darkly at him. Saul just sighed and shook his head.

"Rob, maybe you'd like some air…" he said to his oldest son.

"Nah, man, I'm good! I'd rather stay for the conversation. And the food." Saul sighed again.

"Why didn't you guys invite Lord Voldemort to dinner too? He's a much more eligible bachelor. More successful, better looking, more charming, smarter than Finn… need I say more? I could go on!" Kaikoura spat. Petra gave her a stern look.

"That's enough, Kaikoura. Finn has never killed anyone." Rob started laughing so hard tears rolled down his cheeks.

"That justifies it! He's a good person!" Rob clapped loudly. "YAAAS, never killed anyone!"

"Robert!" Petra snapped. "Go outside and get some air!"

"Nahhh, I'm good! I'm good…"

"NOW," she all but screamed. Rob huffed and stood, offended.

"Fine! I can see I'm not wanted!" he left the room.

"...Anyway…" Finn said. "Kaikoura, I haven't seen you in a long time! Who's your current boyfriend?" he asked curiously. Rabia's eyes widened and her eyebrows shot up. Kaikoura just raised an eyebrow.

"I'm actually married," Kaikoura answered. "But, frankly I don't think it's any of your business."

"Second or third marriage?" Finn asked with a hint of a smirk.

"Wow… doesn't matter… how much time passes," Kaikoura said. "You will never grow up. You will never become a better person." Rob walked back in.

"Why is Finn even here? Why is this happening?" he asked.

"Thank you, we all want this answer, please!" Kaikoura said. Rabia started laughing. Finn gave them a dirty look.

"I was invited for dinner, very kindly might I add, by Mr. and Mrs. Henderson. They, and myself, wish to see Rabia and I engaged again."

"BLEAAAAACH!" Kaikoura made a loud, exaggerated puking noise, drawing a giggle from Rob and the two little boys. "Like I said, where's Voldemort when you need him?"

"Did we all forget the part where I HAVE A BOYFRIEND," Rabia said loudly.

"Oh yeah! SHE HAS A BOYFRIEND!" Kaikoura added defensively. Rabia just gave her a look. "Lord… Baati…?" Rabia sighed.

"VAATI! Lord Vaati."

"Right! Apparently, it doesn't matter now if Rabia has a choice or not. She's not even in control of her own life!" Rob said. Finn rolled his eyes.

"Even her best friend forgot she was dating this guy! Clearly he's not around that often," Finn responded.

"Yeah well even her best friend fucking hates your guts," Kaikoura snapped.

"No swearing at the table!" Saul said. "I don't care about your personal vendetta against Finn, Kaikoura, but there are little ears here!" Kaikoura sighed and turned to look at Saul as Rob took his seat again.

"Saul," she sighed. "I'm not trying to disrespect you, but you are really unaware of how evil this man is. If it were my choice, he would be buried alive or shut away in solitude for the rest of his life."

"Those are some… strong opinions, Kaikoura. Thank you for… sharing…" Saul said uncomfortably. Kaikoura glanced at Rabia.

"Just know that this decision should be made by Rabia, not you," she declared. With that, she stabbed into her pasta in glum silence. Rabia smiled at her friend.

"Thank you, Kaikoura," Rabia reached over and patted her hand. Rob nodded.

"I agree with that!"

"They used to be so in love!" Saul cried. "How often does that happen?"

"Teenagers fall in and out of love all the time. All. The. Time," Rob said. "It's weird to get married that young, anyway," he muttered.

"See, Rob knows exactly what I'm talking about," Kaikoura said. Saul sighed.

"Alright. I'll drop it!" Saul said. "I still think you two would make a great pair."

"I agree, sir," Finn said. "Rabia, just one date. Please?"

"... I have a boyfriend," Rabia sighed as she repeated herself for the third time. "No." Finn smiled charmingly at her.

"I'll get you to change your mind." He stood from his seat. "Thank you for inviting me, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson. It was pleasant." He nodded politely and left the house. Saul scowled at Rob and the two girls.

"What the hell was that?!" he demanded.

"Finn is a douche and Rabia should be able to be with who she wants," Rob said, livid. "If you invite him here again I'll drag him out by the throat." He left the table too. Kaikoura and Rabia remained spitefully silent. Saul scowled and stomped upstairs. Petra just shook her head in disappointment and followed them.

"...Sissy, what just happened?" Chase asked.

"Well… Finn is a bad man and Dad wants me to marry him," Rabia said. "Don't worry about it, okay? You two go play, I'll clean up." Lance and Chase ran off as well. Rabia looked at Kaikoura.

"Thanks for coming over."

* * *

OCs: Rabia (hired musician/Zelda's friend/main character), Saul (Rabia's father/famous musician), Petra (Rabia's mother), Cecil (Kaikoura's father/hired musician/famous musician), Linda (Kaikoura's mother), Finn (Rabia's ex/Lord's son), Rob (Rabia's older brother/aspiring famous musician), Chase (Rabia's youngest brother), Lance (Rabia's little brother but older than Chase)

I'm aware this chapter is a little bit messy, but it's important - you'll find out why soon enough. FORESHADOWIIIIING.

If you'd like to see what these characters look like, check them out on mibba! ( Stories/Characters/618143/A-Hidden-Kindness/)


	10. Old Habits Reappear

Rabia sees a bit of Ganondorf's dark side and her past with Finn is revealed

WARNING: There's some PHYSICAL VIOLENCE in this chapter

3963 words

* * *

It was a crisp, fall day in late November. Rabia had a day off so she was spending it at home outside in the garden with her mother. She was sitting outside in a hoodie with a blanket across her lap, playing her flute. Petra was harvesting some winter vegetables when she noticed Finn on the sidewalk.

"Oh! Mrs. Henderson!" he called, waving to her.

"Hi Finn!" she responded.

"You're looking lovely today!" he chirped. "Have you seen Rabia around? I asked if she wanted to get together today, but she didn't respond to my text."

"Oh, she's right around back in the garden!" Petra said. "Come on in, she won't mind. She's just practicing her flute." Finn smiled as she let him in.

"Thank you," he said. He made his way down the garden path, following the flute music. He leaned against a nearby tree, watching her from afar for a moment. She set her flute down in her lap with a sigh, and he approached her. She caught sight of him and immediately stood, nearly knocking her music stand over.

"What do you want?" she snipped. He smiled.

"You never gave me an answer; would you like to come with me for lunch?" She frowned.

"As much as I'd hate that, I have plans with my boyfriend already."

"Your boyfriend?" Finn asked. Her eyes turned icy.

"Yes, Lord Vaati," she crouched down to scoop up her fallen music.

"Lord who?" he asked. She glowered at him.

"I have to go get ready for our date. Excuse me." She gathered up her things and went inside, locking the door behind her. She showered and straightened her hair, then picked a nice orange dress with some white leggings. After applying a light amount of makeup, she grabbed her phone and left. She made sure Duke was fed and watered before the long journey.

A few hours later, she was outside the valley entrance where she was accosted by a few guards while she was stripping off her leggings. The closest jabbed at her with a spear, her eyes narrowed.

"State your business," she demanded. She leaned back, her eyes wide.

"Uhhh… I have a date?" she said. The guard frowned.

"Your date is a member of this tribe?" She nodded. "What is the name?" Rabia hesitated.

"...Ganondorf?" she gulped. The other guards narrowed their eyes as well, but stepped aside and let her pass. She galloped along toward the fortress, and once she was out of earshot the guards turned to their captain.

"Notify Nabooru immediately," she ordered. They nodded, and one of the guards headed toward the desert after Rabia. Rabia continued past the fortress and into Ganondorf's house. The faint sound of the organ reached her ears as she approached, and she dismounted Duke with a smile. She pat the horse gently as he trotted off to join the other horses and went inside, going up the spiral stairs on the right to his music room. She stepped just inside the doorframe and knocked lightly.

"Ganondorf?" He came to a stop and whirled around to face her with a smile.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up," he said. He stood and walked over to her and brought her into a tight embrace. She laughed and kissed his cheek.

"I missed you too!" she smiled. "I got a little held up by… well, it doesn't matter." He brought her to a nearby sitting room and showed her to a seat. He sat close to her.

"I like your dress," he commented, touching the hem. She flushed.

"Oh, thanks…" she smiled shyly. He took her hand in his.

"There was something I wanted to talk to you about," he started. She paused, then nodded. "I really wish for us to be together, but… it feels almost secret. Wouldn't you like to be official?" She blinked.

"O-Official? What do you mean?" Rabia tilted her head.

"I would love to say you are my girlfriend. Do you not feel the same way?" She shifted, crossing her ankles and licking her lips.

"Okay, Ganondorf, I have to be honest with you… nobody even knows that we're seeing each other," she sighed. He frowned.

"What do you mean?" he questioned.

"My dad didn't really, uh… approve of this… so I've kinda been sneaking out to see you…" she trailed off. "Cause I really like you…." He stared in his lap, his brow furrowed.

"Oh…." There was a silence. "I guess maybe we aren't on the same page then." He drew his hand from hers. "Would you like something to drink?" She shifted closer to him.

"What page do you want to be on…?" Rabia asked.

"Well… I'd like to be with you. I didn't know you hadn't told anyone about us. Are you… uncomfortable with others knowing?"

"No… I'm not uncomfortable with that," she said to him. "I'd actually… prefer it…" He looked at her.

"Oh… but… what?" He blinked. "What do… so you would like to make it official?"

"Yeah, I would," she smiled. He smiled back and leaned in to kiss her. She kissed back. He wrapped his arms around her lovingly.

"I'm so glad," he admitted. She giggled and continued to kiss him. The door swung open and bounced hard off the wall. They both turned their heads, cheeks flushed, to look at the intruders. Nabooru bounded into the room followed by her troupe of guards. The fire in her eyes bored through them. She grabbed Rabia roughly by the back of her dress and pulled her up.

"What is she doing here again?" she roared. Ganondorf shot up from his seat.

"You have no business here, you rat," he hissed.

"I'll make sure to let you choose where we bury her," she retorted. Rabia tried to pry herself from Nabooru's grip, but to no avail. Ganondorf growled.

"Since when do you take the second-in-command's orders over the king's?" he yelled at the other guards. They shrunk away toward the door. "Leave!" They cowered and scattered from the room. Ganondorf slammed Nabooru's arm into the wall, and she released Rabia. Rabia jumped back out of their way. The two glared at each other. "Get out." She gave a short laugh.

"Gladly. I'll take your friend with me though. She has no right to be here."

"And what right do you have to be here? You're lucky I don't banish you. When do you ever listen to your king?" She rolled her eyes.

"You're not my king," she spat. "I would never bow to the likes of you. You only care about yourself." He grabbed her by the throat and lifted her from the ground.

"Watch your tongue," he warned. She clawed at his arms, trying to escape from his grip. She struggled to breathe in his grasp.

"G-Ganondorf! Let her go!" Rabia tugged at him. He hesitated, then dropped Nabooru to the ground. She gasped for air weakly below him.

"Take her to the dungeons," he ordered a nearby guard. The guard timidly took Nabooru and left the room. Rabia stared at him.

"Should I go…?" she asked. He turned to her.

"No! She won't bother you anymore," he said. He approached her, but she took a small step back. He stopped and frowned. "...what's wrong?" She looked away.

"That was… interesting," she said.

"She has an issue with authority," he shrugged. He walked over to her and went to wrap his arms around her again. She ducked away uncomfortably. He stopped once more. "Why are you running from me?" She avoided eye contact.

"I'm not… I just… I would love some tea!" she lied. He blinked before he nodded.

"Okay, I'll be back in just a second," he said. He left the room. Rabia took a deep breath and sat back down, smoothing out her skirt. Her hands trembled, so she tucked them under her thighs. She took a few more deep breaths until she felt evened out and smiled a little when Ganondorf came back.

"Thank you," she said softly when he handed her the tea. He smiled at her. "Your birthday must be coming up soon, right?" she asked. He nodded.

"Yeah… December 16th," he answered. She hummed.

"What do you wanna do?" Rabia asked. "I mean, it'll be winter so it'll be cold… We could go ice skating on Lake Hylia, build snowmen or snow forts, go on a sleigh ride…" she bit her lip. "Those don't sound exciting at all, do they?" He chuckled.

"Here in the valley we usually have a big celebration for my birthday," he smiled. "It starts on Sunday and lasts the whole week. There's also no snow," he winked. "Would you like to come? It's a tradition here." Rabia bit her lip.

"A whole week? I want to but… I don't know if I can get away for a whole week." she looked away uncomfortably.

"It would mean a lot to me," Ganondorf said gently, placing a hand on her cheek and turning her back towards him. Rabia's eyes softened.

"I'll be here for your birthday," she promised. "I'll see what I can do about the rest of the week." He smiled brightly and kissed her lips.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

It was two days before Ganondorf's birthday celebration started and Rabia still needed to get him a gift, but she was at a loss. She didn't know what he'd want, or what he already had, and she wanted the gift to be special. She huffed and paced around her room, trying to think back on their time together. Her mind wandered back to their first date and she smiled. Rabia got dressed and headed out. She didn't have to hurry, but she couldn't dawdle. The bookstore closed early most nights, and the sun was already starting to set.

"Rabia, hon, where are you going?" her mother called.

"I'm just running to the bookstore real quick. I'll be back soon," Rabia said. She left the house quickly and walked into town. The streets were quiet as most people were in their homes. She didn't notice Finn, who had been lurking in the shadows of her front gate. He followed swiftly and silently, keeping out of sight as he was dogged by a shadow that was too large and distinctly not his own. Rabia hummed to herself as she navigated the cobblestone streets, avoided patches of ice and snow expertly, and entered a tiny shop. The bell on the door tinkled gently as she walked in and the door closed with a thump.

The fogged windows didn't allow a clear view to spy from, so Finn slipped into an alleyway while he waited for Rabia to reappear. Once he was hidden behind a snowbank, the shadow slowly morphed into a physical being.

"Worm, you better have good news for me," Gideon growled lowly. Finn nodded.

"Yes, and no… Rabia is resisting me, but her parents have been most helpful in my endeavors. They, too, would like to see us married," Finn said. "I will not let this… Lord Vaati, have her." There was a silence, then Gideon started to laugh.

"You fool! Lord Vaati has no claim over her heart. He is just helping cover up her continued relationship with King Ganondorf," he said. Finn's eyes widened. "You did not know?" The contract Finn had signed appeared in his hand. "Perhaps I shall tear this up and find myself another who can do a better job," he threatened.

"No! I can do this! I need her to get my inheritance," Finn said frantically. Gideon considered him for a moment.

"Get the mage out of the way first, and then Ganondorf. If you can do that, then we'll talk," Gideon snarled. He dematerialized back into the shadows just as Rabia exited the book shop. She was carefully balancing a large box in her arms as she re-wrapped a scarf around her neck. Finn rolled his eyes and stalked off to his own home.

As soon as Rabia got home, she went right upstairs to carefully wrap up the gift. She had bought Ganondorf the hardcover box set of Harry Potter, wrapped in Slytherin dust jackets. They came in a trunk shaped box, so all she had to do was carefully wrap the gift so she didn't ruin the box with tape. She stuck a bow on top and smiled, hoping that he'd like it.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Bright and early the next morning, there was a knock on the door of Henderson Manor. Petra glanced at Saul and set down her coffee cup.

"I wonder who that could be," she said. "It's much too early for Rabia's boyfriend… Lord… Kaati? to be here…" she answered the door and smiled. "Oh, Finn! Come on in. Mr. Henderson and I were just enjoying a cup of coffee. Would you like to join us? I think Rabia is upstairs getting ready for her boyfriend to show up." Finn smiled charmingly and kissed the back of Petra's hand.

"I would be honored, Mrs. Henderson," he answered. She beamed and led him to the parlor, then bustled off to get him a cup. Finn sat down in one of the armchairs across from the loveseat Saul was sitting on. "Good morning, Mr. Henderson. I hope I'm not intruding," he said, thanking Petra as she handed him some coffee.

"Not at all, Finn! We're very glad to see you," Saul grinned. "What brings you here?"

"I was just in the neighborhood and was hoping to see Rabia before running my errands today, but it seems she already has plans," he shrugged.

"Don't be silly, you can stay as long as you like. Rabia won't mind," Petra said. Finn smiled warmly.

"Thank you, very much. Have you met this Lord Vaati fellow, yet? I've heard so much - and so little - about him. It's almost like he's a ghost!" Finn said.

"I agree," Saul said with a nod. "But we'll be meeting him today, finally, and see what all the hype is about. No one will be better for my little girl than you, Finn, but unfortunately I think she's going through her rebellious streak." Finn sighed.

"My rebellious streak was just a bit of hair dye and extra leather…" he trailed off with a laugh. "Not my best look. But she's one of those girls who will do something just because her parents say they don't like it. Her stubbornness is… endearing," Finn smiled.

"You got her to a T," Saul laughed. "I'm sure it'll be out of her system soon, but for now, just give her time. She'll come around soon." There were a few minutes of companionable silence while the three of them sipped their coffees.

"Mooom! Is he here yet?" Rabia called as she hurried down the stairs. She cursed as she nearly tripped over the cat who tried to wind around her feet, then picked her up and continued down the stairs. "Who are you talking t- Oh." She stopped in the parlor doorway. "Gross. Why are you here, Finn?" she sighed, frustrated. The cat wiggled out of her arms and streaked out of the room, hissing.

"I just thought I'd come by to see you before I have to run my errands," Finn replied. "After all, seeing you brightens any day." Rabia wrinkled her nose.

"That's bullshit. You have servants to run errands for you. Why are you here?"

"Okay, okay, you got me. I really did just want to see you," Finn smiled warmly at her.

"... The feeling is not mutual," she scowled and turned to leave.

"Wait, Rabia, why don't you join us until your new boyfriend arrives?" Saul called to her. "After all, Finn travelled all this way to see you this morning - you could at least talk to him."

"Hmm, let me think about this - no."

"Rabia," Petra snapped. "Don't be rude. Sit. I'll let you know when Lord Zaati is here." Rabia scowled darkly and sat in the armchair next to Finn's, glaring in the opposite direction. Petra picked up the coffee mugs and walked out to go wash the dishes, and Saul followed, closing the door behind them. After their footsteps faded away, Finn turned to Rabia with a malicious grin.

"Rabia, I know you aren't really dating this Lord Vaati," he said to her.

"What are you talking about? Of course I am," she answered. Finn rolled his eyes.

"You can't lie to me. You're a terrible liar. I know he's just covering your continued relationship with King Ganondorf, whom your parents don't approve of. How would they feel to know you're lying to them?" Rabia stood up angrily.

"I'm not lying to them! What business is it of yours, anyway?!" Finn stood and glowered at her menacingly.

"Watch your tone, Rabia."

"Or what?" she snapped. "What could you possibly do that you haven't already done?!" Finn grabbed her arm roughly.

"It's my business because you're mine, Rabia, no matter what you may think," he growled. "Now, sit back down." He let go of her arm and glared at her as she sat back down slowly, looking at her feet. He sat back down in his own chair. There were a few minutes of silence before the doorbell rang and Petra's footsteps rushed towards the door.

"Oh, hello! You must be Lord Vaati," her warm voice echoed down the hall. "Rabia's told us so much about you. She's waiting for you in the parlor." Petra's voice got louder as she neared the parlor door and pushed it open. She peeked in and smiled, stepping into the room with Lord Vaati close behind. "Oh, yes, Lord Vaati, this is Finn, our close family friend. Finn, Lord Vaati," She introduced them. "Make yourself at home. My husband and I will be right in with the tea."

"Thank you, Mrs. Henderson. That's very kind of you," Vaati bowed. Petra laughed and swept from the room. "Good morning, Rabia," he chirped pleasantly, taking a seat on the loveseat. Rabia crossed the room and sat next to him with a smile.

"Good morning, Vaati. How was your trip?" she asked. He shrugged.

"Not too bad at all! It's a little windy outside, but it's nice," Vaati said.

"Oh, good," Rabia replied. There was a silence. Finn was watching Rabia intently, and she was trying very hard to ignore him. "Excuse me, Lord Vaati. I'll be right back - I should help Mom with the tea." She walked out of the room quickly. Once her footsteps faded, Finn grinned at Vaati and leaned in close.

"It's nice, what you're doing for her," he said, jerking his head towards the door after Rabia. "Such good friends are hard to find, nowadays." Vaati tilted his head.

"I'm sorry, what am I doing for her?" he asked, blinking.

"You know… covering for her relationship with Ganondorf?" Finn said, lowering his voice. "That's real nice of you. You must really like her if you're doing something like that for her. I know I could never do something like that. Pretending to be on a date with her when she's with someone else…" he sighed. "That must really suck," Finn said. Vaati glanced around.

"... You know?" he whispered. "I thought she wasn't telling anybody."

"Oh, you know, Rabia and I go way back. She tells me everything. You two must be really great friends," Finn smiled brightly.

"Well… I like her a little bit more than that," Vaati sighed, his long ears drooping. "But if friends is all she wants, that's okay too," he smiled a little, but it didn't fully reach his eyes. "I just wish when we actually hung out, it was more an 'as friends' thing than a cover for her." Finn looked at him sympathetically.

"Oh… so she's just using you? That's harsh…" he said. Vaati frowned, but before he could say anything, Rabia and Petra came back with the tea, followed by Saul. Rabia sat back down beside Vaati and handed him a cup of tea.

"Thank you," Vaati smiled at her. Saul and Petra settled into the two remaining chairs.

"So, Lord Vaati… what do you do for work?" Petra asked conversationally. Vaati swallowed his tea quickly and set his cup on a coaster on the coffee table.

"I-I work at a hospital, in the pre-natal ward," he answered.

"You're a doctor?" Petra smiled. "That's so nice!"

"W-Well… not exactly. I'm finishing my apprenticeship still. I do a lot of potion making," he answered.

"Potion making?" Petra asked. "What kind of potions?"

"Mostly ones to help with pregnancy symptoms like… swollen feet or… or morning sickness," he answered.

"So you must like children, then," Petra said with a smile.

"I'm better with the mothers than the children," Vaati said with a shrug.

"I see…" Petra trailed off. "So… you make potions? Do you do magic?" she asked.

"I do!" Vaati smiled. "I'm particularly gifted with transfiguration, teleportation and controlling winds."

"Oooh! Can I see?" Petra asked. Vaati nodded and looked at the coffee table. There was a flash of light, and the table had turned into a pillow, then back again. "That was amazing!" The next hour passed in the same manner, Rabia's parents making small talk with Vaati. After an hour, Finn stood up with a stretch.

"It's getting late in the day, and I really need to see to those errands," Finn said. Vaati glanced at the clock.

"Oh, my!" he said. "He's right! I have a long way to go to get home…" he trailed off and leaned over to kiss Rabia's cheek. "I'll text you, okay?" Rabia smiled.

"Alright. I'll walk you out," she smiled and stood, walking Vaati to the door. Rabia gave Vaati a hug before he left the house, Finn following behind him. At the end of the driveway, Finn turned to look at Vaati.

"She's got you wrapped around her little finger, doesn't she? Lord Vaati, you seem like a nice guy. Don't let her use you like that." Finn clapped him on the shoulder before they departed ways.

"So? What do you think?" Rabia asked, returning to the parlor to help clean up. Petra sighed.

"Well… he's a very sweet man, Rabia, but he just doesn't seem right for you," she said. "There was no chemistry between you two! Do you even like him?"

"I do," Rabia scowled.

"You should think about this, Rabia. What you and Finn had was so special, and I don't think you should give that up for whatever it is you think you have with Lord Vaati."

"Mom, Finn and I are over. That's never going to happen again. Just drop it already!" Rabia snapped. She stomped upstairs, rubbing at her bruising arm. Finn's threat was still fresh in her mind as she packed clothes, her phone charger, her flute and Ganondorf's gift. She had only intended to go to the valley for Ganondorf's birthday, but it was clear her parents were going to keep Finn around as long as he was willing to stay. She hid the bags under her bed until nightfall.

Once her parents and brothers were deep asleep, she scribbled out a short note. 'Last minute gig - had to leave tonight. Will text you soon - R.' Rabia grabbed her bags and snuck downstairs, avoiding the squeaky stair near the top. She took a carrot from the refrigerator and slipped into the stables, gently waking her horse.

"Come on, Duke," she said quietly. She gave him the carrot and brushed him down while he ate. Once he finished, she slipped on his bridle and saddled on her bags. She mounted the horse and took off towards Gerudo Valley.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (hired musician/Zelda's friend/main character), Petra (Rabia's mother/Saul's wife), Finn (Rabia's ex/Lord's son), Gideon (not going to describe yet - but soon :D), Saul (famous musician/Rabia's father),


	11. (it's easy) Being With You

Rabia enters Gerudo Valley

PLEASE view author's note at the end for language credits and translations

2699 words

* * *

Sunday, Early Morning

Rabia arrived in Gerudo Valley early in the morning, while it was still dark. During the ride, she had stripped off her warm layers for the summer clothes underneath. There were women bustling about, finishing up preparations for the celebration. She dismounted Duke and cautiously approached the guards posted outside the valley.

"State your business," the first one said as she brandished her spear at Rabia.

"I'm here for Ganondorf's birthday party," she said. "He invited me."

"The king invited an outsider to a traditional celebration?" she raised an eyebrow. "Name?"

"Rabia." There was a silence.

"VésΛeλu, va Tif sakt néž nasu(1)!"

"Ša, Aveil(2)," The second guard hurried off. Rabia chewed her lip while the guard, Aveil, regarded her suspiciously. The guard returned shortly with a grumpy looking Ganondorf.

"Kaf d as bi hi ü, Aveil? Ha'as ze-ti nævu va must i(3)..." he grumbled as he followed her. When he caught sight of Rabia, his face split into a huge smile. "X! Rabia, e'ata ti saλa b'af ž i no(4)!" He pulled her into a hug.

"Um… what?" she asked. He chuckled.

"Right, sorry. I'm glad you're here," he kissed her lips sweetly. Rabia smiled.

"Did you really think I'd miss your birthday?"

"No," he stifled a yawn. "But you arrived a little early," he said. He noticed her shivering and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go inside. It's freezing out here at night," he said. "VésΛeλu, va λìstr kada ho(5)," he called back to the guards. He pulled Rabia towards his home next to the fortress. "I'm sorry they made you wait outside," he said to her as he led her upstairs. He closed the bedroom door behind them and stripped off his shirt before climbing back into bed. Rabia blushed and looked away. After a minute, Ganondorf opened his eyes again and looked at her. "Are you coming?" he asked.

"Yes, yeah, I'll just… change first," she said.

"Hmmkay," he yawned. She set her bags down, grabbed some pajamas and started to change.

"Well don't watch!" she said. She covered herself with her shirt when she realized he was still looking. Ganondorf sat up, frowning.

"What happened to your arm?"

"My arm? Oh, I bumped into a door," she shrugged. He stood and walked over to her.

"A hand-shaped door?" he asked.

"Apparently." Rabia pulled on a tank top quickly. "Weren't you tired?" Ganondorf sat her down on the bed.

"Wait here for a minute," he said. He walked into the adjoining bathroom and searched through cabinets, then came back with a jar of salve and some gauze. He sat beside her on the bed and gently rubbed some of the salve onto the bruise before covering it. "That should help," he said. He tilted her chin up and kissed her again, then climbed back into bed. He pulled her close and buried his face in her hair. "Goodnight," he mumbled. Rabia smiled to herself and the two fell asleep.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

"Rabia… Rabia, it's time to wake up," Ganondorf said. Rabia wrinkled her nose and wrapped her arm tighter around his midsection.

"Mmmno…" she mumbled. Ganondorf let out a laugh that Rabia felt more than she heard. It rumbled through his chest, a warm, purring sound that made Rabia think of a dragon. His big hand swept up her back.

"Come on, it's time for breakfast," he said, amused. She pressed her face into his shoulder and ignored him. Her breathing evened out as she began to doze. "Alright, you asked for it." Suddenly, the world around her tilted and Rabia let out a shriek. She gripped onto Ganondorf's shoulders as he lifted her into his arms, bridal style.

"Ganondorf!" She glared at him tiredly and he let out another rumbling laugh.

"Well, now that you're awake, you might as well get ready for the day," he smirked at her. She let out a grumpy huff and threw a pillow at him. She stalked into the bathroom, pouting as he chuckled behind her. Ganondorf showered after her, and came back into the room to Rabia anxiously digging through her bag, hair still wrapped in a towel.

"Shit, shit, shit!" She said. "I forgot my hair straightener! I'm gonna look like a poodle…" Ganondorf laughed.

"I doubt that, Rabia. Come on, we're going to be late for breakfast." He offered her a hand and pulled her up, then took the towel off her head and bounced one of the curls spiraling around her shoulders. "See? Great." He led her out of his house and towards the fortress, where the women had gathered for breakfast. Rabia pressed herself close to Ganondorf's side. They seemed to turn heads and women lowered their voices to whispers as they passed.

"Why are they looking at us like that?" she whispered to Ganondorf as they walked. He quirked a smile.

"Don't worry about it, sa mewadaλa(6)," he said as he sat down with her across from a familiar looking Gerudo. After a moment, it clicked - the guard from last night. "Da must i(7), Aveil," Ganondorf greeted her.

"Da must i(7)," she replied. She gave Rabia another mistrustful glance. A look passed between her and Ganondorf before she turned to Rabia. "Rabia, how come we've never met before? I thought I knew all the Gerudo," she asked. Rabia blinked, confused.

"What? I'm not-" she started, but broke off when Aveil started giggling. "What?"

"Nothing," she said. "Opri ìλ šan ji nr a as'müs, aš opri ìλ(8)?" Aveil directed at Ganondorf. Rabia wasn't sure exactly what Aveil had said, but she knew it was an insult. Ganondorf glared at Aveil, so she turned her attention back to her food, still giggling to herself. Rabia peered between the two, but said nothing. The woman beside Aveil munched on her own food and stared at Rabia with a frown. She glanced at Ganondorf curiously.

"Gx aš ra(9)?" the girl asked. Aveil poked at her food, a mean smile on her face.

"Daék pr ì λ Ti Ganondorf's. Op'as éša I va Zelda's (10)," she remarked. The other girl froze and stared at Rabia with her eyebrows raised high. The table became uncomfortably silent. Ganondorf held Rabia's hand tight under the table.

"Well I'm really glad you came out here for the week, Rabia. There are some places I'd like to take you this morning if you're okay with that." He ignored the girls staring at them, though Rabia's eyes flicked between them. They finished their meals quickly, and as they stood to leave Aveil gave them a snarky wave.

"Nice to see you again, _fano_ (11)," she said. Ganondorf glowered at her.

"Keep talking Aveil, I'll have you locked away with Nabooru for good," he growled. Rabia gently tugged on his hand.

"It's fine, Ganondorf," she sighed.

"No no, it's okay, Rabia. I'd rather be around Nabooru anyway. At least I know where her loyalties lie," Aveil added. Ganondorf leaned over the table threateningly.

"Do not talk to me about _loyalties_. Nabooru is loyal to no one." With that, he pulled Rabia away and left the fortress. Rabia was quiet as they walked.

"Where are we going?" she asked after a while, looking around. There seemed to be more women and children in the direction they were walking, even though they had just come from the fortress. Ganondorf smiled.

"I thought you'd like to see the oasis. It's a nice place to go swimming."

"Swimming? I didn't bring anything to swim in," Rabia answered. He looked at her, confused.

"What do you mean?" He led her down a well-worn path to the oasis.

"I… didn't bring a bathing suit," she said. Children were running around the oasis, laughing and screaming while their mothers, aunts and older sisters sunbathed. Rabia blushed.

"I have no idea what that is," Ganondorf said.

"I can see that!" Rabia squeaked as she ducked behind him. Most of the women milling about were nude, except for a few. Ganondorf took his cape off and spread it out on the sand, then started stripping off his clothes. Rabia blushed darker, if that was even possible. He glanced over at her and started laughing.

"Do the Hylians really wear clothes while they're swimming? Do they do it while they're bathing, too?" He snorted.

"Don't be silly, of course not," she said. "It's just a modesty thing I guess? I mean, there's usually more than one guy around, and some of them are creeps…" Ganondorf glanced around.

"Well, I'm the only guy here. But do whatever makes you comfortable," he said as he folded his clothes into a neat pile atop his cape. Rabia followed him into the water as-is and stopped once the water reached her knees so her shorts wouldn't get wet. The water was very clear, and she could see all the way down to her feet. She smiled to herself as she squished the sand between her toes. Ganondorf swept her up into his arms as he lumbered deeper into the water.

"Ganondorf!" Rabia clung to his shoulders. "NO, no, don't you dare!" She shrieked as he dropped her into the water with a splash. She stood up, and shook out her hair, glaring at him while trying not to laugh. "You know… that's not very nice!" She splashed him.

"Well, it didn't look like you were getting in the water any time soon," he reasoned, splashing her back. She laughed.

"Hey!" She splashed him back again, resulting in a splash war between the two of them. They spent the day at the oasis, laughing and having fun in the water. If they noticed the looks they were getting, they didn't care. The sun was starting to set when they decided to head back. Ganondorf pulled on his clothes, shook out his cape, and wrapped it around Rabia's shoulders.

"You're soaked," he said to her with a grin.

"And whose fault is that?" She poked his stomach gently and leaned against his side as they walked. He responded with a booming laugh. When they returned to the fortress, a campfire had been started. There was food set up outside, and women were playing music and dancing around the campfire. Ganondorf sat down close to the fire and pulled Rabia onto his lap. The women sitting closest to them leaned together and started whispering to each other while Ganondorf had a servant bring some food over. He accepted the plate and thanked her, then offered it to Rabia, but she was too interested in watching the dancers to notice.

"So… I noticed you brought your flute with you," he said once the song had finished, offering her the food again. She took a bite and winked at him.

"I _might_ have…" she said, taking another bite. "I seem to remember a certain somebody asked me to play for him again." Ganondorf hummed thoughtfully.

"I wonder who that was," he said. Rabia laughed. "I'll have someone go get it." He turned to a servant with dark red hair and sent her inside.

"Ganondorf, I could've gotten it," she said.

"No, no, I think you should play guitar for me while we wait. That's the only instrument I haven't heard you play yet," he said to her. "I'm sure one of these lovely ladies will loan you one for a song."

"Oh, goddesses, Ganondorf no…" Someone handed a guitar to her and she sighed. "I'm so bad at guitar. You're going to dump me after this, I can feel it." Ganondorf chuckled.

"I highly doubt that, Rabia. Come on, it's my birthday. Play me a song," he said. Rabia sighed.

"Okay. You asked for it." She took a minute to decide on a song, then started playing. About halfway through the verse, he nudged her. "I - what?" She stopped and looked at him.

"Are there any _words_ to this song?" He looked amused.

"... no. None. Nope. Just chords."

"You are the _worst_ liar," he was laughing. She rolled her eyes resumed playing.

"We're a thousand miles from comfort, we have travelled land and sea, but as long as you are with me there's no place I'd rather be. I would wait forever, exalted in the scene. As long as I am with you, my heart continues to beat…" Her voice wasn't anything special, but it was pleasant enough to listen to. Once she finished playing, she handed the guitar back.

"You call _that_ awful at guitar?" Ganondorf asked.

"To be fair, it was a lot of easy chords," she shrugged, then leaned back into his arms. The woman who had loaned her the guitar struck up another song for the dancers. Rabia sat down in the sand beside Ganondorf, pressed up against his side. As the dancers performed, more and more people clustered around the fire in a tight-knit circle, though they left a gap beside Rabia. As the performance ended, the darker-haired Gerudo returned and sat beside Rabia. She handed her the flute case.

"Oh, thank you," Rabia smiled at her and tucked the case between herself and Ganondorf.

The song ended and the dancers bowed, then joined the circle as well. A hush grew over the crowd as two elderly women stepped into the center of the circle. The red-hair woman raised her hands and the firelight dimmed. Rabia suppressed a shiver and Ganondorf wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The blue-haired women started speaking and her red-haired twin joined in unison, voices rising and falling theatrically. It was clear they were telling a story and judging from the looks on the children's faces it was a good one, though Rabia was unsure what it was about. The only word she could catch was the occasional mention of Ganondorf's name. The twins' voices lulled her into a stupor, and the next thing she knew, she was fast asleep.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

 _Rabia opened her eyes and blinked as her eyes adjusted to the darkness around her. She was lying on something rough and scratchy that slipped from underneath her fingers as she pushed herself up - sand. Her movement were slow and languid, like she was under water. She brushed the sand off her hands and tilted her head up towards the sky. There were no clouds, but there were also no stars. Just a dark, inky black that stretched on forever. Her eyes strained in the oppressive blackness for any sign of movement, but there didn't appear to be anyone else around. The silence pressed down on her ears like a blanket, that was broken by what sounded like a low, muffled voice, that was steadily growing louder._

 _"Rabia." She jumped and spun around. All she could see in the darkness were cold, blue eyes looking back at her, too close to be comfortable. She took several hurried steps backwards. "I've been waiting for you." His voice was still muffled, but growing clearer. The speaker grinned with a flash of white, white teeth. A hand grabbed Rabia's arm roughly and pulled her closer. "Soon you will be mine, forever." A claw-like finger trailed across her cheek and she screamed, but no noise came out. A deep, evil laugh rolled through the air like a rumble of thunder._

Rabia woke with a gasp and sat up quickly, kicking away the sheets tangled around her ankles. Her arm where the man had grabbed her was burning, but when she looked down, there was only the bruise Finn had left. She let out a shuddering breath, relaxing.

"Rabia…?" Ganondorf mumbled. "Hmm… you okay?" He rolled over onto his back and looked at her with groggy eyes.

"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine. Sorry for waking you," she said. He yawned and pulled her back into his arms, her head pillowed on his chest. Ganondorf dozed off quickly, but Rabia drifted until she was lulled back into sleep by the sound of his steady and sure heartbeat.

* * *

All Gerudo language is credited to and her amazing website, .

OCs: Rabia (main character), Veslelu (Gerudo guard), Finn (Rabia's ex)

Translations:

1\. Véslelu, go notify the King!  
2\. Yes, Aveil  
3\. What do you want, Aveil? It's four in the morning...  
4\. Oh! Rabia, I'm happy you're here!  
5\. Véslelu, care for the horse  
6\. my sandflower - a pet name  
7\. Good morning  
8\. She isn't very smart, is she?  
9\. Who is this?  
10\. King Ganondorf's girlfriend. She's Princess Zelda's friend  
11\. traitor


	12. Take me by the Hand

Rabia earns herself some respect and discovers an apt for a hidden talent.

Gerudo language credited to gerudoshikyapril on tumblr courtesy of her website  
See end notes for translations

Warnings for domestic violence

Chapter 12

Take me by the Hand (take me somewhere new)

1864 words

* * *

Monday

After breakfast, the festivities of the night before were back in full swing. Throughout the day there were various performances put on by dancers and musicians. Ganondorf showed Rabia around the rest of the valley, which consisted of a quick tour of the fortress, the horse stables, a small area designated to making goods to trade in Hyrule and the training grounds, where a sparring tournament was occurring. The guard, Aveil, appeared to have won the last three matches and was looking for another opponent when she spotted them.

"X ! T i Ganondorf, da must i. Oλí zi bi twi n λæ hant(1)?" she called over to them. Her voice had a mocking lilt to it as she spoke.

"B'af saλi t(2)," he replied. A servant ran over and handed Ganondorf his sword, and he entered arena to fight. Though Ganondorf had the upper hand in strength, Aveil had the upper hand in speed, so they were nicely matched. In the end, Ganondorf pinned Aveil with a smirk. "Bi af fxo ši dad ći dad bi kénču t ar p ési énoy hant(3)." He offered her a hand up and handed his sword back to one of the servants. Aveil dusted herself off and picked up her sword, then looked up at the two of them with a little smirk.

"Rabia, why don't you give it a try?" she asked. Ganondorf set a heavy hand on Rabia's shoulder.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he said with a glare.

"Aww, come on. It'll be fun," Aveil said. The other women were all looking at Rabia expectantly.

"Um… sure…" she trailed off as she shifted her weight from foot to foot. Ganondorf let go of her reluctantly and she approached the arena.

A servant approached with a few sets of dual scimitars like Aveil's and after a moment of consideration, handed one of the sets to Rabia. She took them and mimicked Aveil's fighting stance. Aveil quirked an eyebrow, but Rabia held her gaze steadily, her breaths deep and even as the two stared each other down. Aveil moved first, striking at Rabia's right side. Rabia dodged before making her own move, their swords clashing together. The two of them fought, the motions flowing more like a dance than a fight, until suddenly Aveil was on the ground with Rabia's sword to her neck. She stared up at Rabia in disbelief.

"Um… so… that just happened…" Rabia said. She set the swords down and offered Aveil a hand up. She looked confused. "I can honestly say I've never done that before."

"Da hant(4)," Aveil said, snapping out of her shocked stupor. She smiled at Rabia sincerely. "That was your first fight?"

"Well, first one with swords. I've punched Link a couple times, but he was being stupid and totally deserved it."

"You've never used swords… ever? Like, not even held one in your hands before?" Aveil asked. Rabia shook her head.

"Nope. I'm clumsy so I… actively avoid sharp things." Aveil looked impressed.

"I don't think I've introduced myself. I'm Aveil," she held out her hand. Rabia glanced from the hand to Aveil's face and back again before accepting the handshake.

"Rabia," she smiled. "It's nice to meet you."

"Ganondorf!" Aveil called over to him. "Pr omí n pr í λa éso i nśa, ša(5)?" She wrapped an arm around Rabia's shoulder and exited the arena with her. Ganondorf laughed.

"És na hasa hi λæ(6)," he replied. Aveil smiled.

"... I'm lost," Rabia said, shaking her head. "But that sounded like good stuff, so... yay?" Ganondorf laughed again and linked their hands together.

"Come, it's lunch time and I'm starving." His stomach growled to emphasize his point.

"You're always hungry," Aveil snorted, but she followed them into the fortress to get some food.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

That night was like the one before; a roaring fire, food, music and dancing. Everyone seemed even more excited tonight. Ganondorf, Rabia and Aveil sat down together with their food to watch the festivities. Tonight seemed to be showcasing some of their best fighters. There was an ongoing tournament that anyone could participate in, but it seemed that the current fighter had remained undefeated through several fights.

"Kamilah has won this tournament eight years in a row," Aveil said to Rabia. "She used to be one of our best warriors, but after we were banished from Hyrule she decided to be a servant instead, which is usually a job reserved for those unable to fight. No one is really sure why."

"Maybe you should fight her," Rabia said, nudging Aveil. Aveil grinned.

"Oh, I plan to," she said.

"Think you can win this year?" Ganondorf asked.

"No, but it'll be fun to try." She stood and dusted herself off as Kamilah knocked another girl onto the ground, and picked up her swords to challenge her. Rabia leaned against Ganondorf's side and shared a plate of food while they watched the fight. Aveil laughed as Kamilah knocked her to the ground and accepted a hand up with a bright grin.

"Hi ü λæ du λi tani da ha td as(7)?" Kamilah's voice rang out over the gathered crowd.

"Opr ìλ λæ hi ü(8)," Aveil said, pointing at Rabia. Rabia, who had been laughing at something Ganondorf said, blinked when suddenly half the valley's eyes were on her.

"...What?" she looked up with wide eyes.

"You've just volunteered to fight Kamilah!" Aveil said. "It'll be fun." She handed Rabia her scimitars and pulled her into the circle.

"What?! Aveil, no!" Aveil just laughed and took a seat beside Ganondorf.

"Good luck!" Rabia sighed and once again got into a fighting stance to face off with Kamilah. She vaguely thought about how heavy Aveil's swords were before Kamilah was attacking. The two fought against each other in a flurry of swords, long hair swirling around as their movements sped up. Kamilah knocked one of Rabia's swords out of her hands and suddenly Rabia's other one was caught between Kamilah's two. They stood in a standstill, eyes locked on each other. "Woo! Go Rabia!" Aveil cheered. Kamilah's eyes widened.

"Rabia…?" her swords slipped and Rabia let out a cry, dropping the remaining sword and cradling her bleeding arm close. "Oh, és ri žo (9)!" she dropped her own swords, but before she could go help, Ganondorf was by Rabia's side, putting pressure on the cut. "I'm so sorry," she repeated to Rabia.

"That's okay. It's just a scratch," Rabia said to her reassuringly. She looked up at Ganondorf. "Will I live?" A small smile tugged at her lips. He pressed a kiss to the cut, which had already stopped bleeding.

"Yes, sa ehe roz, you'll live," he said to her, touching her cheek. She tilted her head and kissed his palm.

"'Sa ehe roz'? What does that mean?" she asked. He smiled and pulled her out of the ring. Aveil whistled when they sat back down beside her.

"Damn. Got your first battle scar already?" Aveil asked as two new women entered the circle. Kamilah had left while Ganondorf was patching Rabia up. "You know, I've never seen her get distracted like that. I wonder what got to her?" Rabia shrugged.

"Accidents happen, and it's far from the worst injury I've ever gotten," Rabia said. "Do you think you could answer something for me?"

"I can try."

"What does 'sa ehe-" Ganondorf coughed loudly, cutting her off and Aveil grinned widely.

"Gibberish," she giggled. "Pure gibberish." They spent the rest of the night talking and watching the other warriors fight each other. Kamilah won another year, with Aveil coming in second and another warrior in third.

The fire was burning low as the last tribe members trickled off to bed and the servants started to clear up the festivities. Ganondorf wrapped Rabia up in his cape to keep her warm from the bitter breeze, then offered her a hand up and led her to his room. The two of them changed for bed, but before they curled up together, Ganondorf carefully took her arm to assess the damage.

"It's just a scratch," Rabia said dismissively. He rubbed some of the salve onto the cut and some more onto the bruise, then covered them with fresh gauze.

"I know," he replied. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. She rolled her eyes with a smile.

"I don't think anyone has ever fussed over me this much in my life," Rabia said as she leaned in to kiss his lips. He smiled and leaned back into the pillows, then pulled her on top of him and buried his face in her hair. The two of them drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

 _Ganondorf found himself in Castle Town, inside the living room of what appeared to be a mansion. He wasn't sure why he was there until he saw Rabia enter the room with a little girl perched on her hip and a young boy trailing in behind her. Both the children had light tan skin, black hair and striking green eyes. It was an eerily beautiful combination. Rabia set the toddler down and she immediately waddled over to a toy box next to a love seat._

 _"Watch over Liza for me while I make dinner, okay James?" Rabia leaned down and kissed the boy on the head. Ganondorf followed her into the large kitchen._

 _"Rabia?" he asked. She didn't seem to hear him as she put some soup and pasta on the stove, and started making salad. She was mumbling to herself anxiously as she stirred. She was draining the pasta when Finn entered the room._

 _"Rabia? Why isn't dinner ready yet?" he asked with a frown. "I've been home for ten minutes."_

 _"James' practice ran late and the babysitter is sick," she sighed. "I'm sorry, it'll be done in a few minutes. I'm sure your children would love for you to play with them. They miss you. Goddesses knows why," she muttered to herself. Ganondorf suppressed a snort. Finn crossed the space in a couple of steps and grabbed her arm roughly._

 _"What was that?" he growled. She gasped and dropped the bowl she was holding on the floor._

 _"Clean that up, you clumsy bitch." He slapped her hard and shoved her to the floor. She hurriedly started picking up the broken glass with shaking hands. "Goddesses, you're useless." He left the room with Rabia crying on the floor. The scene disappeared and Ganondorf found himself standing in an empty, starless desert night, with cold blue eyes glowing out of the darkness._

 _"She will never be yours, Desert King. Her soul belongs to me."_

Ganondorf woke from the dream with a start. He pulled Rabia closer to him and kissed the top of her head. She smiled a little in her sleep, but didn't stir. He wrapped her up securely in his arms and didn't sleep for the rest of the night.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (main character), Kamilah

Translations:  
1\. Oh! Good morning, King Ganondorf. Would you like to fight?  
2\. You're on  
3\. You are stronger than you were at our last fight  
4\. Good fight  
5\. We will keep her, yes?  
6\. I hope to  
7\. any others want to try?  
8\. she wants to  
9\. I'm sorry


	13. Like a River Flows

Rabia and Ganondorf explore the desert, and Rabia gets to know some of the desert inhabitants. Also lots of flirting.

All Gerudo language courtesy of gerudoshikyapril on Tumblr courtesy of her website.

Chapter 13

Like a River Flows

2496 words

* * *

Tuesday

When Rabia woke, the morning sun was just beginning to filter in through the spacious windows. Ganondorf was propped up against the headboard, reading a book he was almost finished with. His other arm was wrapped around her. Rabia yawned and snuggled against his side. Ganondorf smiled and set his book aside.

"Good morning," he smiled. Rabia yawned again and rubbed her eyes.

"Mm… morning," she stretched, then smiled at him.

"How's your arm?" he asked.

"You're such a worrier," she rolled her eyes as he took the gauze off anyway. "See? All healed up."

"Yeah." His eyes lingered on the bruise as his fingers trailed over it. Rabia hummed, shifted over onto her stomach and hugged a pillow under her head, Ganondorf's cape spread out beneath her. Ganondorf watched her, eyes soft. Rabia had almost dozed off again when he settled over her thighs, straddling them.

"... I'm not a chair, Ganondorf," she said. When he didn't answer, she frowned. "What are you doing…?" she broke off with a sigh when his hands pressed into her back. "This is gonna make me fall back asleep," Rabia mumbled.

"It's still early," he answered. Rabia jumped when his hands slid up her shirt and pressed into her shoulders, massaging the sore muscles.

"Mm… If you say so," she smiled. He inched her shirt up slowly as he placed gentle kisses along her spine, and tossed it to the floor. He pressed his lips against her neck, his chest flush with her back, and trailed his hands down her sides. When they reached her ribs, she laughed.

"That tickles," she giggled. He grinned and sat back up, tickling her sides. "No, nonono! Ganondorf!" she pushed his hands away and laughed, rolling back over to glare at him half-heartedly. He caught both her wrists in one hand and pinned them above her head and tickled her with the other. "Ganondorf!" she shrieked. "Nonono!" Ganondorf smiled, let go of her wrists, and leaned down to kiss her lips. Rabia smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing him back deeply.

"Hey guys, everyone is wondering where you a- ohhh…" Aveil stepped into the room and blinked. "Well. Should I just leave, or…?" Rabia started laughing into Ganondorf's lips.

"We'll be down in a minute, Aveil," Ganondorf said, sitting up to look at her.

"A minute? Really?" Aveil raised an eyebrow. Ganondorf rolled his eyes.

"Yes, as soon as we're dressed. Now go away," he said.

"Well, you don't have to be rude about it," Aveil said. Rabia laughed harder at the look Ganondorf gave her. Aveil rolled her eyes and closed the door behind her. Ganondorf stood and offered Rabia a hand, then pulled her into another kiss.

"We'll finish this later," he winked. Rabia flushed. The two of them finished getting dressed and headed to the fortress.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Ganondorf and Rabia joined Aveil at their usual table for breakfast and she greeted them with a cheeky wave and an eyebrow waggle. The few other girls sitting near them burst into giggles. Ganondorf rolled his eyes and Rabia blushed.

"T i Ganondorf, da must i(1)," she greeted with a grin. "Did you two have a good night?" He ignored her and sat down next to Rabia, the amicable silence only broken by the quiet sounds of eating.

"So, what's going on today?" Rabia asked.

"Well, today they're prepping for tomorrow, so it's just the artisans and horse trainers showing off. They don't have as much to do as the others for tomorrow," Aveil said. "To be honest, it's kind of boring." One of the women walking by the table scowled at her. "... Ri žo(2)."

"Horse trainers?" Rabia asked. Ganondorf nodded.

"Our war horses are highly sought after... by the warriors who can afford them," he winked. "They're intelligent, agile, graceful horses, and they bond strongly with their companions."

"I think people just like them because they're pretty," Aveil muttered.

"That too," Ganondorf nodded with a quirk to his lips.

"Can we go see them?" Rabia asked.

"Yeah, sure," Ganondorf said. He stood and offered her his hand, which she took eagerly. They left the fortress and headed outside towards the stables. The horses were all outside in a large, fenced in space. Some horses were being ridden over jumps and through other obstacles by strong, muscled women, whom Rabia noticed were doing this bareback. Other horses were playing with each other or running around enjoying the sun. Most of them were in various shades of gold, from white to yellow. There were a few golden-brown and silver-grey horses, and one lone, large black horse. All of them shared the same metallic sheen to their coats that made them unnaturally beautiful.

"Wow," Rabia breathed. Ganondorf smiled.

"I believe the Hylians call them Akhal-Teke. We call them 'Ehe gor o λíst r'," he said. "Desert fire horses," he translated at her blank look. "Named for their coloring and… distinct personalities." Rabia pointed at the black one.

"He's yours, isn't he?" she asked. The horse came trotting over and nudged Ganondorf's hand.

"Yeah, this is Kerberos," he nodded. He reached into his pocket offered a carrot up to the horse, who took it happily. His munching attracted a few other horses who trotted over to the fence. A white-gold horse nudged at Rabia's hands for some food while the others hounded Ganondorf. An angry woman rounded the corner and glared at him, hands on her hips.

"Ganondorf! Af bi magst ak t aλ ot očλa? Kuk Ot oλa i nša čuka(3)!

"Naaat(4)," he said, hiding the carrots behind her back. The woman tutted at him. He sighed and handed the carrots over while Rabia giggled. "Nadéλa, Í sk λi s ašk ani éso sak t ho(5)?" Nadéλa sighed.

"Ša, λak i n kuk ot oċλa da'müs par a(6)," she answered.

"Ki t i t(7)!" he called after her as she walked away. "She's letting us take them out for a ride. Is there one you like?" he asked. Rabia nodded, still petting the white-gold horse.

"She's nice," Rabia said. Ganondorf coaxed the two horses out of the pen and mounted Kerberos. It took Rabia a few times to mount since this horse was taller than her own, but she managed to vault herself up high enough.

"I was about to get off and give you a boost," Ganondorf teased as he urged Kerberos to go, with Rabia beside him. She huffed.

"I had it! I just had to… jump higher." She scowled when he laughed. "Don't make fun of me! She's taller than Duke!"

"You're so stubborn, mewadala," he smiled.

"Says you," Rabia grinned. She followed Ganondorf further into the desert, winding between the sand dunes. The horses glided over the sand as effortlessly as if it was grass. The sun was high in the sky when they finally dismounted, hidden in the shade cast over them by the sand dunes. "That was fun!" Rabia laughed, leaning against Ganondorf's side. He wrapped an arm around her waist and smiled.

"E'ata ti saλa b'af ž i no(8)," he said. She looked up at him with an eyebrow raised.

"You know I have no idea what you said, right?" she asked. Her lips twitched as she tried to suppress her smile. He leaned down and kissed her.

"Don't worry about it," he said, touching her flushed cheek. He frowned a little. "We should be getting back anyway."

"Okay," Rabia leaned into his touch. Ganondorf stood and pulled her up with him, then boosted her up onto her horse. She gave him a look that he ignored, but didn't say anything. The route back was much shorter, and soon they were heading back to Ganondorf's bedroom. "Oh, it's _much_ cooler in here," she said as she flopped onto his bed.

"Why don't you cool off for a while? I have to get something ready for tomorrow anyway," Ganondorf shrugged. Rabia sat up and tilted her head, but didn't ask.

"Okay. I'll take a cold bath or something." She stood and kissed his lips. "See you at dinner?" she asked.

"Of course." He set his hands on her hips and kissed her deeply, then left the room.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Rabia stayed in the bath water until it started to warm up. She wrapped up in a fluffy towel, then headed back into the bedroom to find Kamilah sitting cross legged on the bed.

"...Hi?" Rabia paused in the doorway.

"King Ganondorf asked me to bring you some water. And clothes," she added. Kamilah handed her a glass.

"Oh, um… thank you," Rabia accepted the water and drank it quickly. She eyed the other woman curiously. "I have my own clothes, though," she said. Kamilah shrugged.

"He thought you'd be cooler in these," she said, tilting her head. "Your name is… Rabia, yes?" Rabia nodded and smiled as she looked over the clothes Kamilah had brought - purple. Her favorite color.

"Yeah," she said. "And you're… Kamilah?" she asked. Kamilah nodded.

"That's right."

"Rabia, I finished early if you want to head down now," Ganondorf stopped in the doorway and blinked, looking back and forth between the two women.

"Yeah, sure, I just have to get dressed," Rabia smiled. She flushed dark as his eyes roved over her and he smirked.

"I think you look great," he said.

"I-I… you… shut up!" Rabia said. Kamilah threw Ganondorf a dirty look and stalked out of the room. "Would you turn around, please?" He laughed, but turned around while she dressed. She left the vambraces and the veil on the bed, then took Ganondorf's hand. "Ready?" He squeezed her hand and the two went downstairs.

They grabbed some dinner and sat with Aveil and Kamilah around the largest fire, though it was less crowded out here than the night before. It seemed most of the women had spent the day in the fortress. Most of the people milling about were glass blowing, making pottery with dark red clay, or grabbing something to eat.

"Hey, guys," Rabia said as they sat down. Aveil smiled. "How's it going?"

"Hey, Rabia," Aveil smiled. "My preparations for tomorrow are done, thank the goddesses. They make such a fuss for his birthday," she nodded to Ganondorf. Kamilah nearly choked on her dinner and Rabia giggled.

"You're just jealous that people actually _want_ to celebrate my birth," Ganondorf said. Aveil gasped dramatically, clutching her chest.

"Oh, you _wound_ me!" she cried, and Ganondorf laughed his booming laugh.

"So, what exactly are you preparing?" Rabia asked.

"It's his actual birthday, so… alcohol," Aveil said. Kamilah rolled her eyes.

"We were preparing for his birthday feast," Kamilah said. "The performers were doing some last-minute practicing, and lots of cleaning," she answered.

"Ohhh," Rabia said. There was a lull in the conversation, broken only by the sounds of eating.

"So, you're from Hyrule?" Kamilah asked, breaking the silence and looking at Rabia.

"Yeah. I live in Castle Town with my dad, stepmom, and brothers."

"Brothers?" Kamilah asked.

"Yep, I have three! One older, and two little ones," she smiled brightly.

"Are you close with your stepmom?" Kamilah asked. Rabia's smile fell a little.

"Not really? We're the only women in the house so we kind of bond over how ridiculous the boys get… but we don't have anything in common. Aside from the red hair, anyway," she shook her head.

"What do you mean? Surely if she raised you, you must have _something_ in common," Kamilah said. Rabia shrugged.

"Well… she's much _nicer_ than me, and puts up with stuff that I don't. She's very friendly and has more social graces than I ever will. She's gentle and is _such_ a mom, even with children that aren't hers."

"She sounds nice," Kamilah said.

"Yeah, she is. She just doesn't appreciate my bluntness. Or sarcasm. Or overall sassiness, which is pretty much my whole personality," Rabia shrugged. "The only thing I think she likes about me is my need to save every sad animal I see. Something about having hope for my 'maternal instinct' or something."

"So you must take after your father, then?" Kamilah asked. Rabia shook her head.

"Nope, not much like him either," she said. "Dad says I'm a lot like my real mom, but he only talks about her if he's _really_ drunk and I've never met her, so I can't attest to that," she shrugged. "But my brothers think I'm _awesome_ so I mean, whatever." Kamilah smiled a little at that, then looked back down at her lap with a frown.

"He... he _never_ talks about her? Did he at least give you a name?" she asked after a moment. Rabia shook her head. Aveil glanced between the two of them, her eyes getting wider. Ganondorf caught Aveil's eye and shook his head, giving her a look. The interaction when unnoticed by Rabia and Kamilah. Kamilah had abandoned her dinner and was staring intently at her lap. She stood suddenly, and smiled. "Well, I have to get back to work." She collected up the empty dishes. "I'll see you all later." Rabia blinked and watched as Kamilah walked away.

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked Ganondorf and Aveil with a frown.

"Why don't we go look at the artisan stuff?" Ganondorf asked, cutting off Aveil before she could say anything. He stood and dusted himself off, then offered Rabia a hand.

"...Okay," she took his hand and followed him to the tents where the women were displaying glass and clay goods. There were glass beads and figurines of all shapes, sizes, and colors, and of course there were plenty of clay pots and dinnerware. There was even a small amount of beautifully crafted gold jewelry in the mix. Rabia slid her hand back into Ganondorf's, slotting their fingers together as they wandered slowly. She was so entranced by her surroundings, she didn't notice him slip something into his pocket as they passed by the last tent.

"It's getting late," Ganondorf said. They were far enough from the festivities that the laughter and talking and shrieks of playing children was barely audible anymore, and their only light sources were the fireflies and the moon. A gentle breeze was blowing across the sand dunes as they walked towards Ganondorf's house. Rabia squeezed his hand and hummed in agreement.

"Yeah, it is," she agreed as she stifled a small yawn. He led her back inside to the bedroom and gently nudged her towards the bathroom.

"You can have it first. I'm going to change," he said. He watched her disappear behind the bathroom door. Once he was certain the door was closed, he pulled the small ring out of his pocket and placed it into his bedside drawer, then changed and got ready for bed.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (main character, Ganondorf's bae, Zelda's friend), Nadela (horse trainer), Kamilah (Gerudo warrior cum servant)

Translations:  
1\. King Ganondorf, good morning  
2\. Sorry  
3\. Are you giving them food? They will get fat!  
4\. Nooo  
5\. Nadela, could we go for a ride?  
6\. Yes, but don't make them fat.  
7\. Thank-you  
8\. I'm happy you're here


	14. Putcha Glasses Up

Rabia learns something new about Ganondorf

TRIGGER WARNING for racist slurs! I replaced the slur with asterisks (***), but I wanted to make it very clear that there is potential for a trigger. I will note above and below the sections the slur is in for readers who still wish to continue.

Gerudo language created by gerudoshikyapril on Tumblr courtesy of her website ( . )

Chapter 14

Putcha Glasses Up

1965 words

* * *

Wednesday

The next morning, Rabia woke to an empty bed and cool sheets beside her. She sat up with a frown. It was still early in the morning, and the cool from the night had not yet fully lifted off the desert. She pushed herself out of bed and got ready for the day. After she had dressed, still with no sign of Ganondorf, she headed over to the fortress to get some breakfast alone. When she got there, she was relieved to see him sitting with Kamilah, Aveil, and a young Gerudo girl with light skin and short orange hair. Rabia sat on the end of the short table between Ganondorf and Aveil hesitantly.

"Da must i, Rabia!" Aveil chirped.

"Good morning," she smiled at Aveil. "Where did you go this morning?" Rabia asked Ganondorf.

"Ah, sorry, I forgot to tell you another guest was coming early this morning. I went to greet her and didn't want to wake you," Ganondorf said. "This is my daughter, Kabira," he gestured to the young girl sitting beside him. "Kabira, this is Rabia, daék pr í λ sa(1)." Rabia blinked, but smiled kindly at the girl.

"It's nice to meet you," Rabia said to her. Kabira looked at her, then raised an eyebrow at her father.

"Pas daék pr í λ? B'af két i r λa(2)?" she looked back at Rabia with obvious distaste.

"Rabia, Kamilah and I were wondering if you wanted to spar this morning, before the festivities pick up," Aveil interjected.

"Yeah, sure," she replied. The three of them stood and left, heading to the training grounds.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

The fight had started in silence as the three of them faced off. Rabia and Kamilah seemed to move in sync with each other, something Aveil couldn't ignore as they sparred.

"I didn't know Ganondorf had a daughter," Rabia finally said.

"Yeah, he had her with some Hylian girl a couple years ago," Aveil responded. Rabia snorted.

"A _couple_ years? She's like, eleven."

"Yeah, they had her three years ago," Kamilah said. "There was some magic involved that made her age quickly. No one is really sure what the purpose of that was, but…" she shrugged and dodged a blow from Aveil's sword which Rabia blocked for her with ease

"She doesn't seem to like me very much," Rabia said.

"She doesn't like anybody very much. Don't take it personally," Aveil said. "I think she's just bitter that she's only half Gerudo. Usually kings don't have trysts with Hylian women, but Ganondorf has a type." Rabia's sword slipped from her fingers.

"A… A type?" she asked. Aveil didn't seem to notice her discomfort as her attention was on Kamilah.

"Yeah, he likes red-heads, but he sees all Gerudo as his sisters, so he looks… elsewhere," Aveil responded. Rabia sat down in the sand, chewing her lip. "Oh, hey, no…" Aveil set her swords down too and sat beside Rabia. "I wasn't trying to insinuate that Ganondorf only likes you for your hair or because you didn't grow up here, Rabia. I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you, and I've known him since we were kids. It's sweet, if you could ever use that word to describe him." That prompted a watery chuckle from Rabia.

"Come on, I'm sure he's done scolding his daughter by now," Kamilah said, pulling the two younger girls to their feet. She wiped the few tears from Rabia's eyes gently. "Besides, it's getting too hot to fight, and the festivities will be starting soon."

"Oh! I should go get his gift, then," Rabia said. "I'll be right back!" She hurried back towards Ganondorf's house to get the gift she had so carefully wrapped in gold paper. No one seemed to notice the unnatural way her shadow shifted as she moved.

**TRIGGER WARNING**

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

**TRIGGER WARNING**

Gideon waited until the door closed behind Rabia, waited until silence descended in the room around him, then morphed into his physical form in the bedroom. He had seen what the useless **** had done, and he would _not stand for it_. Gideon opened the nightstand drawer and glared at the offending piece of jewelry. _If that cretin proposes and she says yes, all this will have been FOR NAUGHT!_ He was so enraged he nearly smashed the night stand to pieces, but he managed to hold himself back. "The worm better hope he knows what he's doing," the demon growled to himself and vanished into thin air.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

"What do you _mean_ , there's a ring?!" Finn roared, flipping over his coffee table in rage. Gideon frowned at him and flicked the pieces of splintered wood from his cape. "Are you telling me they're ENGAGED?"

"No. But he _has a ring_. The **** is clearly very serious about Rabia, and _she is m-_ yours. You need to do something about this. NOW."

"Oh, I'll do something about it," Finn growled lowly.

"You'd better. I need to keep a close eye on this situation before it becomes a _real_ problem. Plant a few seeds of doubt. Now, GET THIS HANDLED." Gideon vanished, returning to Rabia's side once more while Finn paced around his living room, planning and plotting.

**END TRIGGER WARNING**

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

**END TRIGGER WARNING**

The festivities were in full swing, when Rabia hurried downstairs, but she suddenly felt… light. Much lighter than she had in a while. She set the gift with the others and hurried off to find her new friends. Ganondorf spotted her and waved her over.

"Rabia!" he called. She smiled brightly and hurried to his side, standing on her toes and kissing his cheek. "What was that for?" he chuckled. Rabia shrugged.

"You looked like you needed a kiss," she responded. Kamilah and Aveil both laughed out loud. "What? I think he looks great with a lipstick smudge," she laughed and wiped it away with her thumb. Ganondorf wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, then turned to Kabira and gave her a look. Kabira sighed.

"Yi, Rabia. E'ata Z xva Kabira. Ha'as da λæ sude bi(3)," Kabira said in a bored tone. Rabia smiled a little.

"It's nice to meet you, too," she said. "I'm sorry if meeting me was a bit of a shock this morning," she said. Kabira raised an eyebrow, but held back any scathing remarks.

"Father, I'm going to go to the stables and ride Snarniro. I have missed him." She turned and walked away towards the stables.

"Don't worry, she'll warm up to you," Ganondorf said, placing his hand on Rabia's back. Rabia sighed a little, but then turned and smiled at him.

"Happy birthday," she said, leaning up to kiss his lips. He laughed into the kiss and picked her up, spinning her around. Aveil let out a wolf whistle and some of the other women joined in.

The servants were entering and exiting the fortress, keeping the gathering clean and refilling the food and drink. The only stopped to take some time to celebrate and grab something to eat themselves. Women and children alike were dancing and singing and sparring and having a blast. As noon time drew to a close, a hush grew over the valley. Everyone gathered to watch their king receive birthday gifts. It was a long process, as he opened each gift one by one and thanked each person. The pile seemed to finally dwindle as evening drew in and a fire was lit. Finally, he got to Rabia's gift. He pulled it over onto his lap and began to carefully peel the paper off the box. Rabia bit her lip. He opened the trunk-shaped box and let out a small laugh when he saw the green dust jackets.

"You got me the Harry Potter books?" he smiled.

"I did. I did get you Harry Potter," Rabia grinned.

"And they're in green dust jackets," he said.

"Yep! Because green is your favorite color, and you're _definitely_ a Slytherin," Rabia nodded. He smiled and kissed her lips sweetly.

"Thank you," he said, touching her cheek.

"Father, you have one more," Kabira's voice made him pull away as he turned to his daughter. "This one is from me," she handed him a colorful gift bag. He pulled out a book, a very old, very rare tome of magic, flipped it open, and skimmed through the pages.

"This is _wonderful_ , Kabira. I've been looking everywhere for this." He pulled her into a hug. The servants started cleaning up the gift wrappings and bringing the gifts inside. They brought out more food and alcohol while the party picked back up again. Aveil and Kamilah joined Rabia, Ganondorf and Kabira as they sat around the fire, drinking and eating and laughing.

"A-And then- and then!" Kamilah hiccupped between her giggles. "She tripped over her own sword and fell out of the ring!" she busted up laughing while Aveil scowled at her good-humoredly.

Do you _have_ to tell everyone that story?! It was so long ago! I was TEN!" She huffed, then started laughing when Kamilah burst into more giggles, causing Rabia and Ganondorf to start laughing, too. Aveil stood on wobbly feet to grab them another round of drinks. Ganondorf gasped.

What?!" Rabia jumped, looking at him with wide, honey-gold eyes.

"I just remembered! You promised to play me more flute!" he said. "Kamilah, would you go fetch Rabia's flute?" Kamilah stood, steady despite her own drunkenness, and headed inside.

"Ganondorf, I'm too… too _drunk_ -" she hiccupped. "Too _drunk_ to play the flute."

"You're not drunk! _You're_ tipsy. _I'm_ drunk," he started laughing at the look she gave him. "Please? It's my birthday," he said, setting a hand on her thigh. She sighed dramatically.

"Well, I _guess_ one song won't hurt," she patted his hand clumsily and giggled. "Your hands are _huge_ ," she said suddenly. She lifted the appendage off her leg to inspect it. "Like, bigger than… than my FACE."

"You know what they say about big hands!" Aveil cheered, and some of the nearby women joined in when Ganondorf waggled his eyebrows.

"Whaaat? No, that's feet, isn't it?" Rabia frowned. "Is it BOTH?!" Aveil laughed uproariously. Kamilah appeared again and pressed the flute case into Rabia's hands. Rabia struggled to put the instrument together for a few minutes, then held it up triumphantly. "Aha! I _did_ it!" She put the flute to her lips, then frowned. "Wait… waitwaitwait… I don't _know_ any songs. 'Cept… Harry Potter. Or… or Lord of the Rings…" She started playing one of the two, and then transitioned to the other halfway through. "Wait no… nonono, that's not right," she blinked.

"Well, just make something up!" Ganondorf said. He pointed to a Gerudo woman with a guitar. "You! Play something!" he said. She struck up a rhythm on the guitar and Ganondorf looked at Rabia expectantly while some of the women started to dance around the fire. "Just make something up! It'll be _great_."

"Hmmmkay," Rabia said. She closed her eyes and listened to the guitar part, and then started to play. Little did she know, she was playing a melody, with some variation, well known to the Gerudo. She finished the song with the most ridiculous flourish she could manage and broke off into giggles. "I don't think _any_ of that was in time," she laughed, putting the flute back into the case and setting it aside. Ganondorf pulled her flush up against his side with a grin.

"I liked it," he said. The woman with the guitar struck up another song and the dancers kept dancing, the gathering filled with drinks and the sounds of laughter. The party dragged on late into the night until finally the last of them trickled inside to get some sleep.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (main character), Kamilah (Gerudo warrior cum servant), Kabira (SPOILER: Ganondorf's daughter), Gideon (a demon), Finn (Rabia's ex, Gideon's henchman)

Translations:  
1\. my girlfriend  
2\. Your girlfriend? You're serious?  
3\. Hello, Rabia. I'm Princess Kabira. It's good to meet you

Can you guess what song she played? :D


	15. Til the Morning Sun (you're mine)

Hangovers, Harry Potter, and revelations

Harry Potter belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling - all HP quotes were taken from Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone and are NOT MINE and if you haven't read it you really should like its 2018 guys

As usual, Gerudo language is credited to gerudoshikyapril on tumblr courtesy of her website ( . )

Chapter 15

'Til the Morning Sun (you're mine)

1532 words

* * *

Thursday

Rabia woke with a soft groan and immediately squeezed her eyes shut. Her head ached and the bright desert sunshine only exacerbated it. She took a deep breath and pushed herself up from the bed slowly. It was still early morning and Ganondorf was fast asleep. At some point during the night, he had removed his headdress so his long hair was fanned out around him like a fiery halo. He was lying spread eagle, face down on the bed and hugging a pillow. Rabia smiled and kissed his cheek, then headed downstairs to get them both some coffee. She went down to the fortress and sat at their usual table. Kamilah was sitting there already, drinking a cup of tea and reading a book, but Aveil was nowhere to be found.

"Da must i," Rabia said, sitting down across from her. Kamilah looked up and smiled.

"Da must i," Kamilah greeted her. There was a silence while the two finished their drinks. "Rabia," Kamilah finally broke the silence. Rabia blinked and looked up at her.

"Yes?"

"I… never mind." Kamilah finished her tea, picked up her book, and made a hasty exit.

"Oh… okay…" Rabia watched her walk away with a frown. She finished off her coffee and grabbed another cup, plus a glass of water, and headed back to Ganondorf. He was starting to stir when she entered the room.

"Good morning," she said softly. He groaned and put a pillow over his head. She smiled and set the cups down on the nightstand and sat next to him on the bed. "I brought you some coffee, and some water," she rubbed his back. He sat up slowly and reached for the coffee, taking a small sip.

"Mmm…" he leaned back against the headboard and squinted his eyes shut. "Thank you," he murmured. He set the empty coffee cup aside and laid back down, this time with his head in her lap, eyes still closed. Rabia ran her fingers through his hair.

"How's your head?" she asked.

"Awful," he groaned. Rabia hummed, then reached down to grab one of the books from the trunk shaped box beside the bed. She carefully took off the green dust jacket and opened it up. Ganondorf opened an eye, reached for her free hand, and put it back in his hair. Rabia huffed out a soft laugh, then started to read to him.

 _"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet drive, were proud to say they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious_ …" she smiled as she recounted the familiar words to Ganondorf. They stayed like that for hours, until, near noontime, Ganondorf's headache abated enough to finally get ready for the day. Rabia pressed the glass of water into his hand. "Drink that," she said. He hid his smile behind the cup and drank it in one large gulp, then took her hand and went downstairs.

The festivities were beginning as they joined everybody outside. There were three large wooden platforms set up, pushed up together to form a large stage. The servants were standing on the stage, sweeping off as much of the sand as they could. Ganondorf and Rabia weaved their way between the excited women and children. For the most part, despite the number of people present, everyone was on the quiet side as they finished nursing their hangovers. Ganondorf and Rabia sat down in front of the stage on one of the many, many colorful blankets that had been laid out on the ground. They had chosen the blanket next to Kabira, who was sitting with another girl, when Aveil joined them.

"This is my favorite part of the week," Aveil said to them. "I _love_ watching the dancers."

"Oh, hi Aveil!" Rabia smiled. "The dancers?" She nodded.

"Yeah, and today we get to see all of them, the youngest to the oldest. It's my favorite," she said. Rabia hummed and leaned into Ganondorf's side.

"It's alright," Kabira muttered. The music had begun when Kamilah joined Aveil on her blanket, and the first dancers stepped onto the stage. They looked like they ranged from ages 3 - 5, and were clumsily mimicking the motions of two older women on stage. Some of them were facing the wrong direction, and the youngest ones were doing their own dance, which made some people in the audience laugh.

The next group of dancers were a little bit older, and their dance was cleaner, but still simple. The third group again were older, and their dancing was more complex with ballet interspersed with some quick movements. As the groups of girls grew older, they moved away from ballet and towards the motions associated with traditional Gerudo dance. The last group separated by age was almost completely traditional Gerudo dance. The youngest girl of the group, only slightly younger than Rabia, took the lead.

The performance ended with the most experienced dancers as the sun was setting across the valley. The servants were beginning to bring out dinner and light the fires and torches for the evening. The dancers all went up on the stage together and bowed to the loud applause they received before everyone broke for dinner. Rabia stood with a stretch.

"Mm… what do you want? I'll go grab it for you," she said as she placed a kiss on Ganondorf's head. He shrugged.

"Anything is fine," he said. "Thank you." She gave him a gentle smile, then turned to Kabira. "Would you like anything?" she asked. Kabira ignored her, so Rabia shrugged and walked away. After a moment, Ganondorf turned to Kamilah. "So… you're… Rabia's mother…?" he asked. Kamilah froze.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I have no children," she said quickly. He raised an eyebrow at her and she slumped. "Was it that obvious?" Ganondorf shrugged.

"Only for those of us paying attention," he gestured to himself and Aveil. "Why don't you tell her?" he asked. Kamilah shrugged.

"She's happy," Kamilah said. "And I'm sure her father didn't tell her for a reason. I don't think he ever wanted her to come here." Kabira smirked to herself, but stayed quiet.

"Okay, okay, I'll stay out of it. I think she'd be happy to know, though," he said. There was a lull in conversation until Rabia came back. She handed Ganondorf a plate and sat beside him with her own.

"Here, darling," Rabia smiled. He kissed her in thanks.

"I'll be right back, Father," Kabira said. She stood and disappeared into the crowd. Rabia sighed a little to herself.

"The dancers were amazing this year, as usual," Aveil said. Kamilah nodded in agreement as Kabira joined them with her own dinner.

"It's so beautiful out here," Rabia said, hugging her knees to her chest. She closed her eyes as a soft breeze blew across the sand dunes. Ganondorf watched her with a smile.

"Yeah, it is," he agreed. Aveil choked on her water and started laughing, and he threw her a dirty look.

"You are so lame," she snorted. Rabia blinked and glanced at both of them.

"I missed something," she said. She looked at Kamilah who shrugged. Aveil was still sniggering into her hands.

"Come on, Kamilah, let's go spar or something." Aveil asked, grinning in amusement. The two rose, whispering and giggling together as they walked away.

"... I'm very confused. What happened?" Rabia asked. Ganondorf stood as well, and offered her a hand up.

"Nothing. There's just nothing else going on out here tonight, so everyone is finding other things to do," he replied. She looked around and noticed groups going to the oasis or training grounds or into the fortress.

"Alright, what should we do then?" she asked.

"To be honest? I'd kind of like to read more of that book from this morning," he said with a chuckle. Rabia perked up.

"Harry Potter?" she asked. "I'm always in favor of Harry Potter, let's do it," she said, following him up to his room. He sat down on the bed and leaned back against the headboard, then pulled her back against his chest. She picked up the book and hummed, then opened to the page marked with a ribbon. _"The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross_ ," Rabia began to read. Ganondorf set his head on top of hers. Her voice faltered when he set his hand on her thigh. He pulled the book out of her hands and set it aside, then pulled her into a soft kiss.

"What was that for?" Rabia asked, turning in his arms to look up at him. He tucked his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up, then leaned over her, his lips brushing her cheek.

"Do you want me to stop?" he murmured against her skin, as he gently traced his thumb over her bottom lip. She leaned closer and rested her forehead against his, their breaths and heartbeats in sync. Ganondorf closed the gap between them, the hand under her chin sliding up to cup her cheek as he leaned over her and pressed her into the sheets.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae), Kamilah (Gerudo warrior cum servant), Kabira (Ganondorf's daughter)

Translations:  
da must i - Good morning


	16. (won't you) Stay with Me

Confessions, and a new friend

As always, the Gerudo language used here is courtesy of gerudoshikyapril on Tumblr!

1164 words

* * *

{Friday}

Ganondorf woke as the morning sun was coming up over the horizon. Rabia was curled up underneath the sheets beside him. He wrapped an arm around her bare waist and pulled her close as he pressed kisses along her shoulder. She stirred and stifled a yawn.

"Mm… Ganondorf?" Rabia smiled and turned over to kiss him. "Good morning," she said softly. She pressed her face into the crook of his neck and sighed. "What time is it?" she yawned.

"It's sunrise," he answered. "I have to get up. Kabira will be leaving soon," he stroked her hair, then got out of bed.

"You have a great ass," Rabia mumbled as she checked him out from behind. He chuckled and pulled on some clothes.

"So do you." He leaned over and kissed her. "I'll bring you back some breakfast."

Ganondorf returned an hour later. Rabia was sitting on the window bench, still wrapped up in the sheet as she gazed out the window. The sun cast her in a soft golden glow. He sat down beside her and set the breakfast plate on the wide window sill.

"The sunrise here is amazing," Rabia said after a moment. "In Hyrule, a December sunrise is dim, grey, and cold. It's never grey here," she said. Ganondorf wrapped an arm around her waist and trailed his fingers over the dark bruise he had kissed into the side of her neck. She shivered and leaned into the touch.

"You could… stay, if you wanted," Ganondorf replied. Rabia sighed wistfully.

"I wish I could… there are… a lot of things I love about this place," she weaved her fingers through his. "The oasis… the people… the sunrises and sunsets…" she looked up at him, and though she didn't say anything out loud, the look in her eyes made it clear. Ganondorf kissed her lips softly. After a moment, she stood. "I should get dressed," she said with a stretch.

"I don't know, I think you could pull of the toga look," Ganondorf grinned at her.

"You're such a dork!" Rabia laughed as her cheeks flushed.

"I actually had some clothes put in here for you. I thought you'd like something cooler than what you brought," he said. She pressed another kiss to his lips in thanks before going into the bathroom to get changed. It was like the purple outfit she had been loaned before, but this time the clothes were a deep red. She stepped out of the bathroom to find Ganondorf having a heated discussion with Kamilah.

"What happened? I was gone for five minutes," she said, looking between the two of them. Kamilah huffed and said something Rabia assumed was a curse, then glared at Ganondorf.

"Don't worry about it, mewadala," Ganondorf said. "Kamilah is just being stubborn." Kamilah scowled at him.

"We have talked about this, Ganondorf! I will not change my mind, so you need to drop it, okay?!" she snapped.

"Fine! Don't tell her," Ganondorf said. He turned to Rabia. "Want to go see the musicians? It's nothing like Hylian music, but the players are just as amazing," he said.

"Uh, yes?! Is that even a question?!" Rabia asked. She grabbed Ganondorf's hand, and the two ran downstairs with Kamilah following. They hurried outside where the musicians were already playing. There were no clear groups, with people walking back and forth and joining in songs and leaving them to join others. Aveil spotted them and ran over to join them.

"Hey guys!" she said. "Whoa, Rabia, you are _covered_ in hickeys," she said. "Did you guys have a good night?" she winked. Rabia blushed dark and Ganondorf grinned.

"We had a blast."

"Oh my goddesses, Ganondorf," Rabia groaned and hid her face in her hands. He laughed loudly and wrapped an arm around her.

"I'm glad you guys came. Since _you,_ " Aveil looked at Ganondorf, "locked Nabooru up, I've had no one else to hang out with. This was her favorite celebration on your birth week!"

"She threatened to kill Rabia, tried to act on that threat, and ignored my direct orders."

"Ganondorf, her _job_ is to prevent outsiders from entering the valley," Aveil said. "Rabia isn't a member of the tribe, so Nabooru was just doing her job." Suddenly Aveil gasped, and grabbed his arm. "What if Rabia gets an honorary membership? Then Nabooru has to let Rabia into the valley!" Ganondorf sighed.

"To earn that membership, she has to earn a sparring match against Nabooru. Nabooru is locked up," he said.

"Well, as _third_ in command, I think I can stand in for her. And she's already beat me, so who's to say she hasn't already earned it?" Aveil said. "Besides, considering…" she glanced back at Rabia and Kamilah who were talking together. "Well, you know…"

"Fine. Get Rabia a membership card. I'll have the guards release Nabooru," Ganondorf replied. "If she steps out of line again, I will lock her away for good," he growled. Aveil whooped and ran off into the fortress, and Ganondorf sent some guards to the dungeon.

"Ganondorf! Kamilah and I are gonna go dance. Do you wanna come?" Rabia chirped.

"Sure, why not?" he replied.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Sunset found Rabia, Ganondorf and Kamilah by the large fire. The musicians were still playing and women were still dancing. People were coming from the oasis and enjoying dinner together by the fire as they dried off.

"Guys! Guuuys!" Aveil was holding another woman's wrist as she ran over and thrust a piece of parchment paper into Rabia's hands.

"What is this?" Rabia asked. She unfurled the parchment curiously.

"You're officially an honorary tribe member!" Aveil said. "You beat me in a sparring match _and_ you're a frequent guest of the king, so we figured you deserved the title. Next time you come, just show that to the guards, and they'll let you by, no questions asked! Oh, and this is Nabooru, I'm sure you remember each other," Aveil said, gesturing to the woman behind her.

"Yeah, we've met," Rabia said. She stepped back from Nabooru warily. Kamilah frowned.

"You two don't get along? I'm surprised - you're a lot alike," she stated.

"Yeah, well, death threats put a damper on any relationship," Rabia shrugged.

"És ri žo," (I'm sorry) Nabooru said. She offered a hand to Rabia. After a moment, she took it and Nabooru grinned. "So, is it true you kicked Aveil's ass in the training grounds?" she asked. Rabia let out a surprised laugh.

"Is _that_ what she's telling people?" she asked.

"Oooh, I love this song! Let's go dance!" Aveil grabbed Nabooru and Rabia's arms and ran off to dance with some of the others.

"Don't even say it," Kamilah said, cutting of Ganondorf before he could start.

"I wasn't going to say anything!" he said. She gave him a stern look. "Okay, maybe I was. You know what I think about this." She ignored him and sat by the fire, watching the three younger girls dance.

* * *

Translations:  
1 - I'm sorry

OCs: Rabia (main character), Kamilah (guard/warrior cum servant)


	17. You Had Me (I never had you)

Rabia learns something about her past

The Gerudo language used here is courtesy of gerudoshikyapril on Tumblr!

1424 words

* * *

{Saturday}

"Da must i," (1) Aveil yawned as she set her plate down on the table next to Kamilah. Nabooru took the seat Aveil's other side. She looked more awake than her friend but not by much. It was early Saturday morning, and few other people were milling about the fortress yet. Rabia and Ganondorf came downstairs last, still in their pajamas. Rabia groaned.

"Noo… shh…" she buried her face in her arms and sighed tiredly. Kamilah nudged a cup of tea in her direction which she accepted gratefully. "...Thanks," she murmured. Ganondorf set a hand on her back, but he looked equally as tired.

"Fun night last night?" Nabooru asked, raising an eyebrow. Rabia shook her head.

"No… ran out of… dreamless sleep potion," she rubbed her eyes.

"Oh...?" Aveil raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask. Ganondorf finished his meal, then stood and stretched.

"I've got to go get some stuff done before the parade later. Actually, I could use your help with this Nabooru. You too, Aveil," he said, standing.

"But we just got here!" Aveil groaned. He gave her a look. "Fine! But I'm bringing my breakfast with me!" She said, picking up her plate. Nabooru followed suit.

"I'll see you later Rabia," Ganondorf said, leaning down to kiss her head. The three of them left the room. There was silence, as Rabia and Kamilah enjoyed their tea.

"Dreamless sleep potion?" Kamilah said after a moment. "Do you have something against dreams?" she asked.

"No." Rabia shook her head. "Nightmares. 'Bout a guy with… blue eyes. Or green. Or both? Maybe there's two guys? I don't really remember..." she shrugged. "Tea is good," she poured herself another cup.

"Do you have nightmares a lot?" Kamilah asked.

"Almost every night, lately," Rabia sighed. "Sometimes they happen even with the potion. Always with the blue-eyed guy. Maybe it's something I keep eating before bed…" She shrugged. "Whatever, it's probably fine." Rabia stifled a yawn and sipped at her tea.

"I wouldn't call that 'fine'," Kamilah frowned.

"There's not much I can do about it so I'm gonna call it fine and not think about it anymore," Rabia replied. There was a silence for a few minutes. Kamilah broke it with a sigh.

"There's something I need to tell you, Rabia," she said. Rabia set her tea down and turned to look at Kamilah. Kamilah swallowed. "Okay, um… I don't know to say this…" she sighed. Rabia waited patiently. "I'm… your mother." Rabia blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"Your biological mother," Kamilah repeated. She sighed. "This was before the Gerudo were banished from Castle Town, and your parents were broken up. Saul and I were in a relationship for a few years. I had _you_ about a week before we were banished. Your father could give you a better life than I could, and I couldn't see you because we were all banished." Rabia stood.

"I have to… I have to go," she said.

"Rabia!" Kamilah called after her. Rabia left and went up to Ganondorf's room.

The room was empty when Rabia got upstairs. She went to the bathroom and filled the tub with cool water before climbing in. She must have dozed off, because an hour or so later, she woke to voices in the bedroom.

"I'm telling you, Aveil, he's _up_ to something," Nabooru's voice said. "I don't know what he's planning but it can't be anything good."

"Nabooru, relax. I think he's learned his lesson about meddling with Hylians after last time," Aveil said. "Besides, Rabia isn't even Hylian."

"She wasn't the one I was talking about, but I'm worried about her, too. What does he want from _her_?" Nabooru asked.

"He _likes_ her, Nabooru. Not _everything_ he does has bad intentions. Just most things," Aveil said. Rabia got out of the bath and wrapped up in a towel before re-entering the bedroom. "Just relax, alr- Rabia!" she exclaimed. Nabooru closed Ganondorf's bedside table drawer with a snap and turned quickly with a smile.

"Oh, hi! I didn't know you were in here," she said. She shifted uncomfortably and looked at her feet.

"Hey," Rabia muttered. She dug through her bag of clothes and got dressed. "I'm gonna go f-"

"Wait, wait, Rabia, real talk for a second," Nabooru cut her off. "Come sit with us," she patted the bed and looked at Rabia. Rabia sighed sat down beside her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"So… I know you really like Ganondorf but… I just wanted to warn you that he's _not_ a good man. I know he seems nice right now, but trust me when I say he'll only bring you trouble. You seem pretty cool, and I'd like to be your friend, but as your friend I'm worried that he's only interested in you to gain something. I've warned you before, the romance is gone quickly. Just… be careful," Nabooru said. Rabia stood angrily.

"What is with all of you today?!" she snapped. "We're not _friends,_ Nabooru. I didn't ask for relationship advice from you, and I sure as hell don't need or want it! The two of you, and Kamilah, can fuck off." Aveil looked like she had been slapped, and Nabooru had the decency to at least look chastised. Rabia stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her, only to nearly walk right into Kamilah who had been about to knock. "Oh, for the love of…!" she pushed passed her and went downstairs to search for Ganondorf.

"Ganondorf? Where are you?" Rabia called, peeking her head into various rooms around his mansion. She finally found him in his office, reading some important looking papers. She entered and sat down in the chair across from him to wait.

"Rabia, what is it?" he asked, finally setting the papers aside to look at her. She sighed.

"I just… I think I should go home now, Ganondorf," she said. "I hope you've had a good birth week. I know I had fun," she gave him a small smile.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah, yeah, um… I just… did you know Kamilah is my mom?" she blurted out. "Because between that and Nabooru's unprecedented relationship advice I just… don't know what to think, I guess." Ganondorf walked around the desk and pulled Rabia into a hug.

"I… had my suspicions," he answered. "As for Nabooru, just ignore her, Rabia. She likes to cause trouble. If you really want to go home, I'll come help you pack. But it'd mean a lot to me if you'd stay a little longer." Rabia returned the embrace.

"Okay," she said after a moment. "I'd… like to stay with you, too." He smiled and took her hand. Rabia's stomach fluttered.

"Great!" he said. "You wouldn't want to miss the parade, it's the best part!" He leaned down to kiss her lips sweetly and led her out of the room.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

The parade started right after lunch and lasted through sundown. Half the valley's inhabitants seemed to be involved. There were the horse trainers and the musicians, and dancers of all ages, and some of the guards had joined in on the fun. It was the largest display yet, with everyone celebrating the last day of another birthweek for their King. Finally, the last of the dancers disappeared back into the fortress where the parade had started. The servants finished setting out food for dinner. Rabia sighed and turned to Ganondorf.

"I had a great time with you, Ganondorf," she smiled and stood on her toes so she could kiss his cheek. "But I really should head home."

"You don't want to stay for dinner? You have a long ride back," he said. Rabia bit her lip.

"I really do want to stay with you, but I don't want to get home too late and wake everybody up," she said. "I'm sorry." Ganondorf pulled her into a hug and gave her a firm kiss.

"Alright. Do you need help with your things?" he asked.

"That would be nice," she smiled. They gathered up her things and packed them back onto Duke, but Ganondorf stopped her again before she mounted.

"Rabia," he said, holding onto her hand gently, his other in his pocket. She turned and looked at him.

"Yeah?"

"I… um… text me when you get home, okay?" he said. Rabia turned and hugged him.

"I'll miss you," she said. "Goodbye," she kissed his cheek and mounted Duke, then rode out of the valley. Ganondorf sighed forlornly and fingered the ring he held in his pocket.

* * *

Translations:

1 - Good morning

OCs: Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae), Kamilah (Gerudo warrior cum servant/Rabia's bio-mom), Duke (Rabia's horse and all-around sass master)


	18. (so this is) The New Year

Finn weasels his way into a celebration to ring in the new year

TW: domestic violence/abuse

1843 words

* * *

Hyrule's sky was dreary and grey, and the wind was bitterly cold. As December passed Hyrule experienced more and more snowfall. A thick blanket of snow rested over Hyrule Field and the outlying villages. Castle Town wasn't as lucky, or as beautiful. Cobblestone paths were shoveled clear of snow and allowed sheer layers of ice to spread between the rocks, which made travelling through Castle Town treacherous. Rabia stayed inside, bundled up in sweaters and blankets, whenever she could. She couldn't help but miss the warmth of the valley, and a particular golden-eyed man.

New Year's was approaching and as such, Zelda was throwing another party. However, this party was limited to friends and family, including Sheik, Link, Kaikoura and her family, Rabia and her family, and this year, Lord Vaati.

"Rabia, hurry up! We have to go!" Petra called up the stairs. Rabia had layered on jeans, warm socks and boots, a tank top, a t-shirt, a thick-knit sweater, a scarf that matched her hat and gloves, and a heavy winter coat.

"Coming, mom!" Rabia called as she tucked her curls into her thick hat. She hurried down the stairs and pulled her scarf up over her mouth and nose to protect them from the wind. The others were bundled up, too, but not quite as dramatically. Petra rolled her eyes.

"It really isn't _that_ cold out, is it?" she asked.

"I hate the cold," Rabia answered. Petra pulled the door open and ushered the youngest boys outside. For such a short trip, they weren't bothering with the carriage. Rob rode off ahead while the others finished getting ready. Petra and Saul mounted their horses with the boys. Petra took off with Chase immediately after Rob.

"Rabia, do you need help?" Saul asked, looking at his only daughter.

"No, I'm good. You go on ahead," Rabia said. He waited a moment longer, then caught up with Petra and Rob. Rabia waited a few minutes until they were well ahead of her, then mounted Duke. She rode into castle town alone, thankful for the quiet the distance granted her though her family was easily visible up ahead. Snow was falling silently and she blinked the flakes away irritably as they landed in her eyelashes. She was so focused on her destination they didn't notice Finn following close behind. A figure morphed out of the shadows beside his horse, causing it to startle. Gideon grabbed the reins and pulled the animal to an uneasy stop.

"Are you ready?" he hissed to Finn, thrusting the reins back into his hands.

"Yeah, I'm close enough to catch up. Her horse isn't as fast as mine," he answered. Gideon morphed back into the shadows while Finn followed Rabia. Suddenly, Rabia's horse reared up as Gideon's hand morphed from the ground and grabbed his back leg before vanishing.

"Duke?!" Rabia screamed. She grabbed the reins as Duke took off in a sudden gallop. Finn urged his horse into a gallop and chased after her, back towards Hyrule field. He caught up with her and grabbed onto Duke's reins.

"I've got you, I've got you," he said to Rabia. "Come on," he urged, wrapping his free arm around her waist. He lifted her onto his own horse and let go of Duke while his own horse slowed. Rabia was clinging to him, trembling, as he pulled his horse to a stop.

"Duke!" she went to jump off Finn's horse to run after him, but Finn grabbed her tightly.

"He'll be fine, Rabia. He's just a horse. Are you okay?" He touched her cheek.

"Oh, let _go_ of me," she scowled, pushing at his chest. "I have to get Duke!" He frowned and caught her wrists roughly. "Ow!" She struggled but his grip got tighter until she stopped.

"I'm taking you back to Castle Town. Your horse will be fine," he said. He wrapped an arm around her tightly and pulled her up against his chest. She gasped and gripped onto his shirt when the horse turned and started walking. She looked over his shoulder where she could see Duke galloping farther and farther away. She struggled against Finn again in another aborted attempt to get off and chase after him, but his arm around her waist tightened. "I'm assuming you were heading to the castle?" he asked after a moment of silence. Rabia nodded and chewed on her lip. Finn rode up to the castle gates, where the others were all gathered anxiously.

"Rabia!" Vaati cried, running towards the horse. He helped her dismount and looked her over for any sign of injury. "Are you alright? What happened? Your parents said you were right behind them, then suddenly you were gone!" He pulled her into a hug. He missed the wince as he squeezed her waist, but Kaikoura didn't. Her eyes narrowed and she glared at Finn.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Duke got startled and took off in the opposite direction. He's somewhere in Hyrule field," Rabia said. "I hope he's okay." She wrapped her arms around herself as she shivered. "It's so cold, I don't want him to freeze…"

"I got her off the horse, but she wanted to take after him in the ice," Finn said as he dismounted. Kaikoura looked at him distrustfully.

"Oh, don't worry about Duke, Rabia. He'll either find his way back, or Lon Lon Ranch will take him in. He won't freeze," Link said.

"You're sure you're not hurt?" Saul asked, pulling her into a hug.

"I'm fine, dad," her voice was muffled against his coat. He let her go and turned to Finn, pulling him into a hug as well. "Thank you for helping her," he said. Finn smiled at them.

"Of course, Mr. Henderson," Finn bowed his head, then mounted his horse.

"Hey, wait! Why don't you come join us, Finn?" Saul asked. "Is that alright, Zelda?" Zelda hesitated. She hadn't missed Kaikoura's glares or Rabia's discomfort, but her need to be polite won out.

"Well… I-I guess we have room for one more," she said. Kaikoura sighed loudly.

"Can we go inside? It's freezing out here," Rabia asked. She was shivering, as was Kaikoura, but Zelda looked perfectly warm in her thick furs. Vaati wrapped his cape around Rabia's shoulders, then followed the others as they went inside. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace. They all shed their coats, hats, gloves, and scarves as they moved into the warm environment. A servant gathered all the garments and hung them in the other room while the group of friends got comfortable.

Zelda and Link claimed a large arm chair close to the fire that was just big enough for two. Sheik, Kaikoura, Rabia, and Vaati claimed one the large couches, while Cecil, Saul, Petra and Linda claimed the other. Rob settled onto the loveseat and Finn took the other armchair next to Vaati. Vallon, Chase, and Lance ran off to play in the game room. Rabia tugged her sleeves down over her palms to cover the bruises she could feel forming on her wrists. Kaikoura glared at Finn out of the corner of her eye.

"Tet!" Zelda cried, running over to the man as he walked into the room and giving him a big hug. "You didn't tell me you were back!" she said.

"I got back from my voyage last night!" Tet said as he embraced his sister. "Sheik, Kaiky, nice to see you both again," he grinned, plopping down next to Rob on the loveseat.

"Hey, Tet!" Kaikoura waved. Sheik offered him a polite smile.

"Dude, nice piercing," Rob said, looking at the ring in Tet's ear.

The group played games and hung out as they waited to ring in the new year at midnight. Servants came in and out with food and logs for the fire, and as the night wore on, they broke out some champagne. Around 23 o'clock, Chase and Lance had fallen asleep in a pillow pile on the rug in front of the fireplace. Zelda was blinking tiredly with her head resting on Link's shoulder, and Rabia was curled up like a cat against Vaati's side, fast asleep. Zelda stifled a yawn.

"Hmm… I'm going to go to the kitchens and see if anyone is still awake to get us some coffee and tea," she said. "If we're going to make it until midnight, we're going to need something to keep us awake!" She stood and swept from the room elegantly, despite her own fatigue. She came back in a few minutes later, followed by servants carrying trays of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, sodas, and some snacks. Vaati gently shook Rabia awake.

"Hey, Rabia… there's only an hour to midnight," he whispered to her. She blinked.

"Hmm?" she asked. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep on you," she murmured. Vaati grabbed a couple cups of tea and handed one to her. "Thanks." She sipped her tea and curled up against his side.

After the first drinks were finished, some games were pulled out for entertainment while the caffeine kicked in. As the hour passed and more coffee consumed, the adults got a little rowdier. The kids roused at the laughter and the talking, and resumed their play. Five minutes to midnight, servants started coming in with trays piled high with glasses of champagne as the party goers prepared for the countdown to midnight.

"So, Zelda! Are you gonna give Link a New Year's kiiiiiss?" Rabia giggled, wiggling her eyebrows at her friends. Zelda blushed dark and giggled.

"Of course I am, silly!" she said. Link also blushed, but looked rather pleased. "It's traditional, and Link is my boyfriend!"

"Ewww!" Chase wrinkled his nose in disgust, while Lance nodded in agreement. The servants handed out glasses of champagne to the guests and left the room as the party goers started counting down.

"10!... 9!..." Zelda grabbed Link's hand, and Kaikoura made her way back to Sheik. "8!... 7!..." Saul wrapped an arm around Petra, and Linda finished her champagne and started putting on some lipstick in preparation for her kiss "6!... 5!..." Vaati blushed as Rabia moved close to him. "4!... 3!..." Finn moved closer to Rabia as well. "2!... 1!..." The couples all kissed, while the others cheered in the arrival of the new year. Finn looked on angrily as Vaati embraced Rabia. Saul and Petra pulled away and laughed at Chase and Lance's disgust. Cecil and Linda didn't seem to notice anyone else was in the room. Kaikoura and Rabia wolf-whistled at Link and Zelda, as they were the last two kissing.

"S-Shut up, guys!" Link said, his cheeks red. Zelda giggled, her face flushed a delicate pink at her friends teasing.

"Happy New Year, everyone!" she said.

The kids went up to some of the guest rooms that had been prepared, while the others broke out some of the harder liquor to party the night away. It was well into early morning when the last of them trickled upstairs into bed.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae), Duke (Rabia's horse and all around sass master), Finn (Rabia's ex and a terrible person), Gideon (Finn's current master; also a demon)

Note: Yes, Tetra has been gender bent. Tet, Sheik, and Zelda are triplets in this story if that wasn't clear

Bonus points if you know what movie inspired the horse scene!


	19. A Loaded Smile (an empty glass)

Vaati gets pulled into an evil plot

630 words

* * *

"Worm," a gravelly voice from behind Finn startled him. The crystal wine glass he was holding slipped through his fingers to the ground with a sharp clatter. "I trust you have good news for me." Finn snapped his fingers and a servant rushed over to clean up the mess.

"Follow me; We should talk somewhere more… private." Finn left the drawing room and led Gideon into the library. He walked over to a bookshelf and selected a title. The bookshelf to swing open and reveal a private study behind it. Gideon stepped inside and Finn closed the doors behind them.

"Rabia's father was grateful after I saved her from the horse and invited me to celebrate New Year's with them. Rabia gets… handsy with the mage when I'm around, and I can see his resentment growing. He thinks he has feelings for her, and is becoming bitter about being used. Especially after she kissed him. He will crack soon. Rabia's father invited me to her birthday, the first Saturday of February. I think that will be the perfect time to reveal her."

"You've surprised me, worm," Gideon growled. "We've received some assistance from outside parties. Specifically, the Gerudo, Nabooru, though she doesn't know it. She told Rabia some things about her beloved that widened the rift forged between them by her friends. The hoodrat did not propose to Rabia before she left the valley back in December, though he still carries the ring. Make the mage crack, and then report back to me. Do NOT fail," Gideon growled. He slunk into the shadows of the room and vanished.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Lord Vaati walked through castle town quickly, clutching a messenger bag full of potions to his chest. Lately he had been dabbling more in potions and magics beyond the realm of prenatal care and often stopped by the potion shop to sell his creations. He was heading to the potion shop when a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Lord Vaati, a moment, please!" the voice called. Vaati turned to see Finn running over. He stepped to the side so other people could pass while he waited for Finn to catch up.

"Finn, what can I do for you?" Vaati asked as he slung the messenger bag over his shoulder.

"I was just wondering if I would be seeing you on Saturday," Finn asked. "I'm assuming, as Rabia's 'boyfriend', you'll be attending her party?"

"Ah. Yes, of course," Vaati said. Finn nodded.

"Covering for her again? That's rough. That New Year's kiss was brutal to watch. Have you told her you have feelings for her?" Finn asked. He patted Vaati's shoulder sympathetically. Vaati sighed.

"Can I do something for you?"

"Oh! Right, sorry. I just thought, you know, as her boyfriend you should give her something special on her birthday." Finn handed him a velvet box. Vaati looked at him curiously, then opened it. A necklace with a dark blue stone enveloped in a silver crescent moon rested inside. Vaati stared at the stone, hypnotized for a moment, then snapped the box shut.

"I… I think I'd rather get her something myself," Vaati said, trying to hand back the box.

"Don't worry, it's no trouble!" Finn said. "It's not worth more than 60 rupees, it hardly matters to me," he shrugged. "Besides, she'll love it, and it'd seem weird coming from me, wouldn't it?"

"... You really think she'll love it?" Vaati asked. Finn nodded. After a moment, Vaati pocketed the box and fished out some money from his pocket, handing it to Finn. "I'd rather purchase it myself, but um… thanks."

"Anytime. See you Saturday," Finn said, waving Vaati off. The mage nodded, and scurried away towards the potion shop. Finn grinned to himself before turning in the opposite direction.

* * *

OCs: Finn (Rabia's ex, Gideon's minion, overall awful guy), Gideon (demon, main antagonist)

necklace: .


	20. (but I'll take) The Truth

A birthday party reveals some secrets, and some lies

2860 words

* * *

Saturday morning came upon them all swiftly. The mansion had been done up elaborately by professional decorators for Rabia's 17th birthday. Saul had even hired a well-known chef to cater the event. White drapes covered the foyer walls like tapestries and clear, gold glitter filled balloons were tied down around the entryway. The rotunda was decorated with fairy lights hanging down from the high ceiling surrounding the crystal chandelier. The dining room had been set for twenty with fine china, gold flatware, crystal glasses, and candle centerpieces. Along the ceiling were more white drapes and fairy lights set up to resemble a draping canopy. The family room had been turned into a makeshift ballroom, and was decorated with more white tapestries. The living room remained relatively unchanged except for the balloons scattered throughout. The rest of the house had been blocked off with heavy white curtains.

The doorbell rang, but Rabia was still getting ready, putting the finishing touches on a waterfall braid. Saul hurried to answer the door while Petra went upstairs to check on Rabia.

"Rabia! The first guests are here, what are you doing?" Petra opened the door and stepped inside. "Awe, honey, you look beautiful!" Rabia sighed and set down her lipstick.

"Why does it have to be a _formal_ party?" she asked. "I would've been just as happy with a pizza and some movies," she grumbled. Petra rolled her eyes.

"Because you're not seven, you're _seventeen_. You can be a bit classier than that," she said. She walked behind Rabia and finished zipping up the back of her dress. "Will you be coming downstairs soon? Kaikoura and Sheik just got here," Petra said.

"After I finish my makeup," Rabia waved her hands. "I just have to do my eyes and then I'll be down," she said.

"Okay, honey," Petra closed the door quietly behind her. Rabia finished up her makeup and made her way downstairs to the living room to greet her friends.

"Kaiky! Sheik!" she smiled brightly and pulled them into a hug. "I'm so glad you're here! I'm also really sorry you had to dress up," she sighed.

"Awww, Rabia, you look so pretty!" Kaikoura said.

"Thanks! So do you," Rabia said. Kaikoura matched the theme of the party in her champagne colored evening gown. Sheik was dressed up in a simple suit with a tie that matched Kaikoura's dress. Finn was the next to arrive, and Saul invited him in. He walked over to the small group with a charming smile.

"Rabia, happy birthday," he kissed Rabia's cheek. "Kaikoura, it's nice to see you again. And you brought your…?"

"Husband. His name is Sheik. You can leave now," Kaikoura said coolly. She turned back to her conversation with Rabia, the two blatantly ignoring Finn's presence. Zelda, in a soft pink dress, was the next to show up, accompanied by Link and Tet. She was followed by Cecil, Linda and Vallon, then Saul's oldest friend, Frank, with his kids. The DJ had struck up a song while the party-goers mingled and had fun. Rabia had been avoiding Finn by casually striking up a conversation with someone whenever he approached. She was slowly running out of options, though, and hoped Vaati would show up soon.

"Gunner! How are you?" she asked. Gunner was Frank's oldest son, and Rabia's first crush. With his dark messy hair, high cheekbones, and bad boy persona, it was easy to see that Rabia had a type. "How've you been?" He smiled brightly.

"Hey Rabia! I'm good. My band is finally taking off, so we were on tour with dad for a while… what've you been up to?" He pulled her into a friendly hug. "I haven't seen you in… forever!"

"Oh, you know… I've been around. Just doing my thing. Fluting… dating… sleeping…" she shrugged. "You look… good…" she commented, checking him out. "Did you get a haircut?" Gunner laughed.

"Yeah, I thought that was pretty obvious."

"Well it looks good…" She blushed, though it was hard to tell.

"Thanks, you look great too," he said. "You're wearing your hair curly now?"

"Oh, yeah. Straightening takes so much time," she said. She could see Finn coming closer from the corner of her eye. "Wanna dance? You know, for old time's sake."

"Hmm? Oh, sure," he said. She took his hand and led him to the dance floor. Kaikoura was chatting over in the corner with Decker, Frank's other son and third child.

"Hey Decker, it's been awhile…" she giggled.

"Well, our dads hate each other…" he said. She went to sip from the straw in her cup and missed her mouth multiple times. She awkwardly laughed. Decker cleared his throat and looked away.

"I like your hair," Kaikoura blurted out. She blushed. Sheik facepalmed.

"...Thanks. I'm gonna go talk to… my sister…" he walked away. Kaikoura watched him go wistfully. Rabia and Gunner were on the dancefloor, surprisingly graceful.

"When did you learn how to dance? The last time we did this you stepped on my feet about a dozen times," Rabia laughed. He spun her around gracefully.

"I've practiced," he winked. He set his hand back on her waist, pulling her closer to him as they moved in sync. Her cheeks were tinged with a pink flush that had nothing to do with the warmth of the room. After the dance, they held each other for a moment, instead of pulling away.

"Thanks for the dance," Rabia said. He smiled and let go of her waist, taking her hands instead and squeezing them gently.

"Anytime." He brushed a kiss against her cheek and walked away. Rabia stood there, dazed for a moment, before spotting Vaati in the crowd. She smiled brightly and hurried over to him.

"Vaati!" Rabia pulled the smaller man into a hug and kissed his cheek. "Where've you been hiding?" she asked. "I've been looking for you!"

"I just got here, sorry," he said, returning the hug. "I ended up having to stay a little later at the hospital. Who were you dancing with?" he asked.

"That was Gunner. He's an old friend," she said.

"That looked a little more than friendly," Vaati commented. If he sounded a little bitter, Rabia didn't seem to notice.

"Gunner was… my first love, I guess. We've always been really close and I've known him my whole life. We dated for a while, but we decided it would be better to stay friends," she said. "Our dads are really close and we didn't want to make things weird."

"Your first love?" Vaati asked.

"Are you okay? You seem upset," Rabia frowned. "I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable. I didn't even know they were back in town," she said.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm fine," Vaati gave her a weak smile. "Dance with me?" he asked. She smiled and took his offered hand, following him onto the floor. After a couple dances with Vaati and her friends, dinner was announced, and the group moved towards the dining room where they shared a meal. Rabia's cat, Katrina, came slinking around ankles as she looked for dropped morsels to eat. Katrina found that she didn't have to travel far from Rabia, who seemed content enough to give the cat tiny bites of her own dinner. Eventually, once dinner was cleared from the table, Rabia scooped the cat up into her lap, where she lay, purring contentedly. Petra sighed.

"Rabia, do you really need to have your cat at the table right now?" she asked, frowning.

"She just wants to be part of the group! Don't you, Katrina," she cooed, scratching behind the cat's ear. The cat meowed in response, and Rabia nodded to Petra. "See? She said yes." Her mother was about to protest again, but someone hit the lights, and then the cake was being placed on the table in front of Rabia. Kaikoura grinned and started to sing, and the others followed suit. As they neared the end of the song, Rabia closed her eyes, thought about Ganondorf and Gerudo valley, then blew out the candles to cheers.

"So, what'd you wish for?!" Kaikoura asked.

"If I tell you it won't come true!" Rabia said. "And it's a good wish. I don't want to waste it." Kaikoura rolled her eyes at her friend good-naturedly, and returned to her seat as the cake was handed around the group. They talked and laughed with each other, before making their way into the living room at Petra's request.

"It's time for gifts!" she said, sitting Rabia down on one of the couches while everyone gathered around her. The first box Rabia opened was from Sheik and Kaikoura.

"Oh goddesses, is this…?" she examined the hoodie and started laughing. The hood at little cat ears on it and the pocket opened on the top instead of the sides. "This is amazing!"

"I don't get it," Link said, after a moment.

"The pouch is made to hold a cat," Kaikoura said. "Like a kangaroo!" Rabia folded the sweater and set it aside.

"That's my new favorite sweater. Thanks guys," she said. From Zelda and Link, she opened a new makeup brush set, and Tet had made her some awesome wooden guitar picks and some metal rings for fingerpicking. The next box was from Gunner. She opened it up to find a wound, silver bracelet. Rabia looked at it curiously.

"Those are made from the guitar strings I played at our first show," Gunner said.

"That's so cool!" Rabia said. She flipped it over in her hands, then slid it onto her wrist.

"Open ours next!" Lance said excitedly, pushing a bag into her hands. Rabia rolled her eyes and opened the gift from her brothers. They had given her a personal library kit and several books she had been wanting to read. The next box she was handed was from Finn. Rabia opened it cautiously, just in case.

"No way," she said. At first glance, it looked like a blue and white tea set complete with several types of her favorite teas. When she looked closer, she realized it was subtly Harry Potter themed.

"I know you like tea, so I figured that you could use your own set," Finn said. "I commissioned someone to custom make it for you."

"It's wonderful. Thank you, Finn," she said. Frank and his other kids had gotten her a record player with some awesome albums, and Cecil got her a super tiny guitar amp and a tabletop sheet music stand. Petra handed her the final box; Vaati's gift. Rabia opened the box slowly. For some reason, the blue stone made her uncomfortable but she couldn't quite place why. She smiled softly at Vaati. `

"Thank you, Vaati. It's beautiful." She leaned over and kissed his cheek sweetly, then put it on. Vaati blushed all the way up to his ears.

"We have one more gift!" Petra said. "Saul, go get it," she shooed her husband out of the room. There was a silence for a moment, until Saul returned and handed Rabia a box containing a single golden hair comb inlaid with pearls.

"That belonged to your mother. She wanted you to have it," Saul said. Rabia nodded and closed the box, then set it aside.

"Thanks."

"Alright everyone, let's go back to the family room for drinks!" Petra said, ushering everybody else into the other room. Once the room was empty, Saul pulled Rabia into a tight hug, and then followed her out behind their guests.

When they joined the others in the family room, the party was back in full swing. Champagne was being served, music was playing, and people were dancing. As soon as Rabia had walked in, Gunner pulled her over into a dance. Vaati was off in the corner, watching them sullenly over his drink. They danced together for several songs before Rabia peeled away to get some champagne and the DJ started playing some softer music.

"Vaati, why aren't you dancing?" she asked, standing beside him to sip her drink.

"You seem to be dancing enough for both of us," he said bitterly. "Is there anyone here you _haven't_ dated?" Rabia frowned.

"Are you okay, Vaati?" she looked at him closely, then sighed. "You're drunk. I'll get you some water, but you should go lay down awhile," she said, taking his glass from him.

"I'm n-" he hiccupped. "Not drunk!" he said. "I just don't get why you're dancing with him and not me. Maybe you should've asked him to be your fake boyfriend instead!"

"Fake boyfriend…?" Zelda asked. "What is he talking about?" Rabia sighed.

"He's just really drunk and he won't go sleep it off," Rabia said dismissively. "Come on, Vaati. You're gonna have an awful headache…" she said to him. Vaati shook her off angrily.

"No! I don't want to cover for you anymore, Rabia!" By now he had the attention of most of the people at the party. He turned to look at Zelda. "Rabia and I aren't dating. I was just a cover so she could keep seeing Ganondorf," Vaati scowled, crossing his arms.

"What?" Zelda looked at her friend with wide eyes. "Rabia!"

"Everyone leave. Now," Saul said angrily. The house cleared out in a matter of minutes.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

"I CANNOT believe you!" Saul yelled. Rabia was sitting on the couch, avoiding her father's eyes as he scolded her. "I explicitly told you to be done with him! He's _dangerous,_ Rabia! You could've been hurt, or killed, or worse! And then to drag Vaati into this to cover for you? What is WRONG with you?! You know what? You're grounded. You're not leaving the house unsupervised, not even for work. Go to your room," Saul said.

Rabia stood without a word and walked upstairs quickly, and locked her door behind her. She changed into pajamas and collapsed onto the bed. Her cell phone was lighting up with text messages from her friends, but she ignored all save for one, from Ganondorf.

 _Grumpybutt: Happy birthday Rabia! I miss you and I'm excited to see you tomorrow. Did you get your gift?_

 _Rabia: Thanks, Ganondorf. I'm sorry but I won't be able to see you tomorrow. Dad grounded me, and he'll probably take my phone soon. I miss you too :(_

 _Grumpybutt: Oh… well, we can make plans when you're not grounded :)_

 _Rabia: He's really angry… I'm not sure when that will be. I hope it's soon 3 I'm opening the gift right now_

Rabia smiled softly to herself and fished the package out from under her bed. It had been delivered the day before, luckily while her parents were out, and she had hidden it under the bed until she got a chance to open it. She opened the shipping box to find a small, wooden box nestled in some paper, along with a sealed envelope. She pulled the two items out and opened the envelope carefully.

Dear Rabia,

First, I want to wish you a happy birthday. I'm sorry I'm not there to celebrate with you, especially since you took time to be with me during mine. I plan to make this up to you when we see each other next, which I hope is sooner rather than later.

If I'm being honest, I wasn't really sure what to get you for your birthday, and it took me a while to figure it out. Originally, I had planned to send your horse to you, but you have Duke and Nabooru pointed out that the Postman would probably hate me if I did that. Besides, I wanted to get you something as thoughtful as the gift you gave to me. I was stumped for an embarrassingly long time. But one day, as I was consulting with the artisans, I spotted something that made me think of you and I thought it'd be the perfect gift. Happy birthday, sa ehe roz. I miss you, and I'll be with you as soon as I can.

With Love,

Ganondorf

Rabia carefully folded the letter back up and set the envelope aside. She opened the wooden box to find a delicate gold ring shaped into a small rose. She smiled and slid the ring onto her finger, then picked her phone back up.

 _Rabia: It's beautiful, Ganondorf. Thank you. I'm putting it on right now_

 _Grumpybutt: I'm glad you like it. I'll see you soon, okay? Write to me._

 _Rabia: I will 3. Goodnight_

Rabia deleted the text from her phone and shut it off just as Saul knocked on the door.

"Rabia! Open up!" Rabia sighed and pulled the door open.

"What?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Phone. Now. I don't want you contacting Ganondorf in _any_ way," Saul said, holding his hand out. Rabia rolled her eyes and tossed the phone in his general direction, then closed and locked the door while he sputtered angrily at her. Rabia knew it was unlikely that she'd ever see Ganondorf again, and couldn't help but hope he wouldn't hate her for this as she curled up under her blankets to cry.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (main character), Saul (Rabia's father), Petra (Saul's wife, Rabia's step-mother), Kaikoura (Rabia's best friend, Sheik's beau), Finn (Rabia's ex, evil minion of Gideon, terrible person), Tet (Gender-bent Tetra, not really OC but still), Cecil (Kaik's dad), Linda (Kaik's mom), Vallon (Kaik's brother), Frank (Saul's BFF), Gunner (Frank's oldest son, Rabia's first love and other ex), Decker (Frank's second son, third child), Katrina (Rabia's cat/baby),

Rabia's mansion: plan/7400-square-feet-5-bedroom-5-50-bathroom-4-garage-sp108525

Rabia's dress: pin/427842033321142273/

Kaikoura's dress: pin/222083825352555371/

Zelda's dress: pin/552324341782570626/

Saul and Petra's gift: 032/0/6455759/il_340x270.576608510_

Ganondorf's gift: pin/557953841316562758/


	21. (outta my head) Without You

Some bedtime stories are best left untold

871 words

* * *

(Monday)

It had been two days since the birthday fiasco. Rabia was going stir crazy being locked in the house, despite its size. She had written back to Ganondorf but hadn't been able to mail it until that morning because the Postman took Sundays off. She wouldn't hear back until at least the end of the week. She had been spending the last two days closed up in the extensive library by herself, moping. Saul wasn't talking to Rabia at all, and whenever Petra did, it was always a lecture.

"Sissy!" Chase ran over to her and curled up on the library chaise beside her. He snuggled up against her side

"Hey, Chase," Rabia said sullenly. She set her book aside as Chase wedged himself under her arm. "What's up?" she asked.

"Sissy, will you tell me a story?" he asked. He looked up at her with wide, hopeful eyes. Rabia hugged him close and thought for a moment, then cleared her throat.

"Once upon a time… there was a boy and a girl," she started. Chase frowned.

"Don't you mean a prince and a princess?" he asked. Rabia shook her head.

"No… she was just a girl," she said. "But the boy… He was a King. The girl had been in a relationship with a different boy, but he wasn't who she thought he was, so she left him. After that, she wasn't interested in dating anyone.

"There was a big party in the kingdom, and people from all over were invited. That's where the King and the girl met. The King pursued the girl, though she made it clear she wasn't interested. However, the King was stubborn, and finally she agreed to go on one date with him. He entranced her so much that when he asked her out again, she agreed without a second thought. Her close friends didn't approve of him and warned her to break it off. She promised she would, but instead she dated the King in secret. Two dates turned into three, and eventually the two fell deeply in love." Chase frowned.

"But sissy… how did they know they were in love?" he asked.

"That's a hard question to answer, Chase," Rabia sighed. He looked up at her expectantly. "Okay, okay. I'll try. When you spend so much time with someone, you pick up knowledge about them that isn't useful for anything other than getting to know them. Eventually, you get so close you know them more deeply than you know yourself. You can tell what they're thinking just from their expression, almost like you can read each other's mind. As you get closer, you create private moments between yourselves that no one else will understand. Your favorite song becomes his favorite song. His favorite book becomes your favorite book. You pick up hobbies, experiences and inside jokes together that shape who you are as an individual and as a couple. It's like, you're a whole person, but half of you is entwined so deeply with him that you can't tell where he ends and you begin, and vice versa." She smiled softly. "They become your best friend and more."

"So it's like… you're separate but the same?" Chase asked. Rabia nodded. "That sounds confusing," he said. Rabia giggled.

"Anyway… where was I?" She paused. "Oh. Right. They fell deeply in love. They dated for almost a year until they were discovered. The girl's father was angry, and forbid her from seeing him ever again," she finished. There was a silence, and Chase frowned.

"Well?" he asked.

"Well, what?"

"That can't be where the story ends, Sissy," he said matter-of-factly. "They have to… to get back together! Run away or with each other or something!" Chase said. Rabia sighed and ruffled his curls gently.

"Not all stories have a happy ending, Chase," she said. Her eyes were red and glassy as she considered her brother. "Even if it seems like they should."

"But… then what happens to the King and the girl?" Chase asked, eyes wide. Rabia sighed and blinked back the tears.

"Remember what I said earlier? All those things you know about that person, all the jokes and the experiences, the favorite books and songs? It doesn't just go away. That's all still there," she said to him. Her voice shook.

"But they're not," Chase said, looking up at her sadly.

"No, they're not," Rabia said. She took a deep breath. "It's like you lose half of yourself, and you're left alone to try and grow the other half back," she said. She wiped her eyes. "That's what happens to the King and the girl. They have to find a way to keep those experiences, but also remember who they were before."

"Sissy, don't cry," Chase hugged her tight. "It's just a story," he said. "It's not real. Nothing ends that bad for real," he said. Rabia gave him a watery smile.

"I hope you're right. Why don't you go help Petra in the garden?" she helped him down off the couch and nudged him towards the door. "I'm sure she has lots of worms for you to dig up." Chase hesitated, but kissed her cheek and scampered out the door.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae), Chase (Rabia's youngest brother)


	22. Ex's and Oh's (they haunt me)

Another piece of Ganondorf's past is revealed

1943 words

* * *

(Tuesday)

A loud knock on the library door roused Rabia from where she had fallen asleep on the chaise lounge.

"Rabia? Open up!" Kaikoura called. "You've moped enough, come on out!" Rabia sighed and marked the page of her book, set it down on the coffee table in front of her, then went to unlock the door.

"What?" she asked exasperatedly. Kaikoura raised an eyebrow.

"Don't be sassy with me. Come on, go get ready. We're going out today. Zelda, Sheik, and Link are waiting outside," she said impatiently. Rabia sighed.

"I don't really want to, Kaik," she said.

"I don't really care. You're coming with us," she said. They stared each other down for a minute until Rabia groaned.

"Fine! Tell the others to come inside. It's cold out and I need to shower first," she stomped upstairs. She came back about an hour later, dressed and made up, but she had left her hair so it was still pretty wet.

"Rabia! Are you almost ready?" Zelda asked, smiling at her friend. Rabia ignored her and pulled on some thick socks and boots. Zelda sighed. "Rabia."

"What, Zelda?" She tugged on the bootlace aggressively while she tied them up.

"I'm sorry about what happened, but you don't have to be angry with me," she said soothingly.

"I'm not angry at _you_ , I'm just angry, and you're not helping by dragging me out in the fucking snow," she grumbled. "It's cold and wet and I don't see the appeal!" She jammed a hat over her hair and pinned it in place with bobby pins, then put on a scarf and some gloves. "Snow is the worst." Link snorted and Rabia gave him a dirty look as she buttoned up her coat. "What?!"

"It's just… you complain about the snow every year, but I think this is the first time I've heard you whine about it this season," he shrugged. "It seems kind of late to start, don't you think?" Rabia glared at him.

"Alright!" Zelda clapped her hands together and stood. "We should head out. Rabia, you can ride with me!" she said.

"Oh, okay," Rabia said glumly, following them outside. She realized with a pang of sadness that she had almost forgotten Duke had run off. She mounted the horse behind Zelda and they trotted down the cobblestone street, Link in the lead. "Wait a minute, where are we even going?" Rabia asked.

"We're going to Hyrule Field," Sheik answered from behind them. "I guess this morning Kaikoura asked Zelda if she wanted to build a snowman," he shrugged.

"Do you wanna build a SNOOOWMAAAAN?!" Kaikoura sang. "I was actually singing, but it still sounds like fun. Besides, dad is starting to drive me crazy and I needed an excuse to leave." Rabia groaned.

"So not only did you force me to shower AND get dressed _AND_ leave my house, but you're taking me to play in the snow? I hate you guys," she sighed.

"No you don't," Zelda answered. "You love us." Rabia grumbled to herself. It didn't take long for the small group to travel through Market Town and soon they were heading to Hyrule Field. Someone had taken it upon themselves to shovel out the well-trodden pathway around the field. Link turned Epona off the path and the others fell into step behind him. They carved a new path through the snow to the middle of an untouched patch of land and dismounted.

Zelda jumped off her horse into a fluffy pile of snow with a laugh, spreading out to make a snow angel. Kaikoura had started rolling a large snowball for her snowman, and Link and Sheik were throwing snowballs at each other good naturedly. Rabia sat on Zelda's horse, her nose wrinkling in distaste as she eyed the snow.

"Come on, Rabia! Make snow angels with me!" Zelda called.

"Ugh, no, it looks cold and wet," she answered. "I'm fine here." The snow was deep, over everyone's knees.

" _Rabia,_ " Zelda insisted. She extracted herself from her perfect snow angel and pulled Rabia off the horse into the snow.

"Zelda!" Rabia screeched as the two were gracelessly dumped into another pile of snow. She stood and began dusting snow off herself. "No, nope, this is cold and gross, I don't like it," she muttered, shaking her head. Zelda tugged her over to Kaikoura.

"Come on, help us make a snowman," she said.

"I'm making the butt!" Kaikoura called, rolling a ball of snow that came to mid-thigh in height.

"Okay! I'll make the body. Rabia can make the head," Zelda said, and started to get to work. Rabia sighed, but joined her friends in the snow. Link and Sheik made their way over with some pebbles and sticks to decorate as the girls started to assemble the snowman. They heaved the body piece on top of the snowman's butt, followed by the head. Link and Sheik shoved in some sticks and pebbles as arms and buttons.

"How are we going to give him a face?" Zelda asked as she looked up at the snowman, puzzled. It towered over the five of them.

"Get on my shoulders," Link said, crouching.

"Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you," Zelda replied. He smiled at her. After she was settled on his shoulders, Zelda pressed in some pebbles for the eyes and the mouth, then hopped off Link's shoulders and leaned against his side. "He's missing something. What's he missing?" she asked.

"It needs a nose," Rabia said. She reached into one of the saddlebags to and dug out a carrot which she offered to Link. He pressed it into the snowman's face and stepped back to admire his handiwork. "There. That's better." Rabia pulled her scarf up over her nose and tucked her hands into her pockets. "Can we go home now?" she asked with a shiver. Their clothes were damp and their cheeks were rosy pink from the cold winter air.

"Yeah, we should probably go get warmed up," Link said.

"Let's go to Lon Lon Ranch - it's warm and it's a shorter ride than going back to Market Town," Sheik suggested, as he mounted his horse. The others followed suit, and they all headed towards the ranch.

The ride to Lon Lon Ranch was a short one. There were no horses in the yard when they reached the ranch, so there were plenty of empty hitching posts to secure the horses while they headed inside the small shop.

"Oh, hello Link!" They were greeted by the cheerful voice of Malon. She rounded the counter and pulled her friend into a hug. "It's been so long! What brings you to the ranch today?" she asked.

"Hi Malon," Link returned the hug with a grin. "We were building a snowman in Hyrule Field and the ranch was the closest place to warm up."

"Well, come on in! Make yourselves at home," she replied with a warm smile. Malon led them through a door beside the counter into the house. She took them to a cozy living room where a fire was roaring in the fireplace. "I don't think anyone else is going to venture here through the snow today, so I'm going to go close up shop. You can warm up in here - I'll be right back!" she bustled out. Rabia was already pulling off her hat, scarf, and gloves and moving as close to the fire as she could without setting herself ablaze.

"Ahh, that's much better. I can almost feel my fingers," she said. Kaikoura scooched closer and warmed her hands over the fire as well.

"You're right, this is better," she agreed and wiggled her fingers as they warmed. Malon returned several minutes later with a tray of cocoa to find her guests stripped of their winter gear, much drier and warmer than when they had come in. A young, orange-haired girl walked in a moment later and Rabia's heart stopped.

"Oh, Kabira, sweetie, clear off the table for me please?" Malon asked. She swept off the few ornaments adorning the small coffee table and set them aside while Malon placed the tray of cocoa down for her guests. "There." She settled onto one of the couches with Link and Sheik. Rabia and Kabira avoided each other's gazes, uncomfortably aware of the other's presence.

"Hey, long time no see," Link said, smiling at Kabira. She stared at him and forced a weak smile.

"Yes… er, hello…" she replied.

"I don't believe we've met before. I'm Zelda," Zelda smiled at Kabira and held out a hand. Kabira looked at her hand and wrinkled her nose.

"Um… yeah, nice to meet you," she said.

"Oh, this is my daughter, Kabira," Malon said. Rabia's head snapped up, wide-eyed.

"I didn't know you had a daughter," Kaikoura said. "I didn't think you were married." Malon's smile dimmed.

"It's complicated," she stated. "So, what's been going on for you guys?" she asked.

"It's complicated," Rabia replied as she hugged her knees and stared into the fire.

"Ignore her, she's just moody," Link said. Rabia scowled. "We've just been hanging out, doing the usual. You?"

"The usual. Taking care of the shop and the horses," she smiled. "Actually, we recently got another horse, a handsome Arabian. We found him wandering Hyrule field in the snow. It's been too cold to go back to Hyrule and find who belongs to him, though," she said.

"An Arabian? Does he have a white splotch on his forehead?" Rabia asked.

"Mhm! Actually, I need to let them back outside before it gets dark. Do you want to come?" Malon asked.

"I love seeing the horses!" Zelda chirped. They all pulled their coats and gloves back on, then followed Malon out onto the field. She went inside the stables with Link to let the horses out.

"Hey Rabia! Look who it is," Link called as he lead the Arabian out of the stables.

"Duke!" Rabia ran over and threw her arms around the horse's neck. Duke snorted, bobbed his head, and wrapped his front leg around her hips. Rabia stood on her toes and pressed a kiss to white spot on his forehead. "Hey buddy. I'm so happy to see you."

"This is YOUR horse?" Malon asked. "I'm so glad! He's been so glum while he's been here, but I couldn't let him back out in that cold," she said. Rabia stroked Duke's nose.

"Yeah, he's a mama's boy," Rabia said. "Thank you for taking care of him. I was so worried when he didn't come back home…"

"Oh, it's no problem. We pick up lost horses all the time," Malon said. "Actually, you guys should probably start heading home so you're not stuck in Hyrule field in the dark," she chirped. "I'll go get Duke's things." She headed back into the stable. Rabia glanced around. Zelda was running around with some of the younger horses as they jaunted through the snow. Sheik and Kaikoura were feeding carrots to some of the bigger horses. Rabia quickly hugged Link while no one was looking.

"Thanks," she said, letting go of him. "If you tell anyone that happened I will kill you." Link stared at her, wide-eyed.

"...Okay," he squeaked. Malon returned and saddled Duke up with quick, efficient hands.

"There we go!" she chirped, dusting her hands off.

"How much do you usually charge for boarding?" Rabia asked.

"He was a pleasure, don't worry about it!" Malon smiled. "I'll see you guys later!" She waved and headed back inside. Rabia mounted Duke while the others gathered up their own horses, and the group headed home.

* * *

Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae), Kaikoura (Rabia's BFF/super awesome person), Kabira (Ganondorf and Malon's daughter)


	23. You Keep Me (without chains)

A friendly, and then a not-so-friendly, ambush

1927 words

* * *

(Wednesday)

The next morning Rabia woke up bright and early. She got dressed and ate breakfast, then locked herself back in the library alone before anyone else woke up to see her. She curled up on the window seat with a pillow, a cozy blanket, and a small stack of books to mope. She hadn't received any letters from Ganondorf. She suspected the postman had been instructed not to deliver them, and she had no other way to contact him. She scowled in frustration as she read the same sentence a third time over before giving up the book as a lost cause. Rabia set the book aside, leaned against the cold window behind her, and spun the rose ring around her finger absently. A sharp rap on the door startled her.

"Rabia? Vaati is here to see you," Petra called through the door.

"Tell him to fuck off," Rabia snapped.

"Don't take that tone with me! He just wants to see if you're okay," Petra replied, her voice sharp. Rabia ignored her and pulled her feet up onto the bench beside her, then closed the heavy drapes in front of it. After a few moments of silence, a key turned in the lock of the library door and someone hesitantly stepped into the room.

"Rabia?" Vaati called. "I know you're angry at me. I'm sorry I told everyone like that. I've never been able to hold my liquor well," he said. His voice grew louder as he moved further into the room. "But… I'm not sorry I told them. I know you don't trust me anymore, but Ganondorf _is_ a dangerous man. I just… want you to be safe, because I care about you. I hope someday you'll be able to forgive me." There was silence for a while, and then he sighed. "Okay. I'll just… I'll just go." His footsteps faded as he padded quietly from the room, and the door closed heavily behind him.

She watched from the window until she saw him halfway down the walkway, then got up to relock the door. Katrina slunk in as Rabia snagged the key that Petra had used and closed the doors. She wound around Rabia's feet and waited until Rabia had settled into her favorite chair then curled up in her lap with a quiet meow.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

At some point Rabia had dozed off because she woke to a muffled thud outside the window and poorly whispered voices.

"Ow, Link, you're stepping on my hair…!"

"Sorry, sorry, I almost have it…" the window clicked open and a draft wafted in from under the drapes. Katrina was sitting up on Rabia's lap, fur standing on end and growling at the intruders. "Oof! Sheik, you didn't have to throw me!" There was a series of thumps and muffled complaints as the others were boosted up through the window.

"You know, if you were planning on sneaking up on me you should have been quieter about it," Rabia said once the window had clicked shut again. After a moment, Kaikoura poked her head out from between the curtains. Katrina hissed, then settled back into Rabia's lap once she recognized Kaikoura's face, no longer concerned.

"We _weren't_ trying to sneak up on you. The door was locked and you took the last key," she stated. She opened the curtains the rest of the way, hopped off the window seat, and crossed the room. "You can't keep moping like this, Rab.

"Yes I can."

"No, you can't."

"But I can. And I am," Rabia answered. She stroked Katrina's fur while she glared at them. "You can leave now."

"No. We're not letting you mope alone. I don't care if you don't want to, you're coming out with us to have some fun," Kaikoura said. She set her hands on her hips and looked at Rabia sternly.

"I'm not going with you, and you can't make me," Rabia answered. Kaikoura sighed.

"You're being _really annoying_ right now!" Kaikoura cried. Rabia shrieked when Link grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder.

"Link! Let go of me _right now!"_ she yelled. Link ignored her and turned to the others.

"Let's go!" There was silence for a moment, then Kaikoura shrugged and led them out of the library. Zelda made sure to grab Rabia's coat and gloves before the group headed outside and clambered into the carriage that was waiting for them. Link dropped Rabia onto one of the seats, where she landed with a disgruntled huff.

"You're a jerk," she scowled at him and yanked her coat on as the carriage took off.

"Isn't it nice to be out of that stuffy library?" Zelda asked.

"I was out of the library yesterday with you," Rabia snapped, glaring out the window. Zelda rolled her eyes.

"So, what do you guys want to do? I thought it'd be fun to go ice skating! I've never been before," she said.

"I'm down for anything," Kaikoura replied with a shrug. "Ice skating is fun." Sheik nodded in agreement.

"Anything you want to do is fine with me," Link said. He kissed Zelda's cheek and she giggled.

"Oh, stop," she smiled. The four of them laughed and chatted for the short ride to the pond. It was a medium-sized, Hylian-made pond that was temperature controlled. In the winter, it was kept cold enough to form a layer of ice thick enough to skate on. In the summer, it was kept heated for comfortable swimming. The group clambered out of the carriage, rented their skates, and made their way to the rink.

Link slid onto the ice gracefully and held out his hands to Zelda. She smiled and he pulled her onto the ice. Sheik, Kaikoura and Rabia followed. Zelda picked up the skill quickly and was soon flying ahead of the rest of them while still retaining her grace. Link was keeping up easily but didn't manage the speed with any of Zelda's elegance. Sheik was performing graceful ice acrobatics to entertain Kaikoura. Rabia followed along behind them half-heartedly.

"Come on Rabia, race us!" Zelda laughed and reached for her friends' hand. She caught Rabia by the elbow and pulled her along faster.

"Oh no, nonono Zelda! I'm not a great skater, I can't go this fast!" Rabia squeaked, grabbing onto Zelda's hand tight. "This is how I'm going to die."

"Don't be so dramatic!" Zelda laughed. Rabia's foot wobbled. She slipped off the blade and landed on her butt while her friends kept going.

"Oww!" she grumbled. She was still trying to get back up when Zelda and Link came back around, so they gave her a hand.

"Are you okay? Sorry, we couldn't stop!" Zelda giggled.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just rolled my ankle," Rabia shrugged them off. "It happens. I'm going to go get some cocoa." She skated off the ice and sat down on one of the benches to unlace to skates. She poked at her ankle experimentally, rotated it a few times, then pulled on her boots and walked over to one of the nearby stands to purchase a cup of cocoa. She was gathering up her cup and her change when she heard a familiar but unwelcome voice.

"Oh, Rabia! What a surprise to see you here," Finn said. He came up behind her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He guided her over to one of the tables and pushed her into one of the chairs. "I thought you were too busy moping to see anyone," he smiled sharply.

"My friends broke into my house and dragged me out against my own free will," Rabia answered. She tapped an anxious tattoo against the side of her warm paper cup. Finn watched her fingers; his eyes lingered on the gold rose ring she wore for a moment before he shook his head.

"It's a happy coincidence I ran into you here, anyway. I was going to head to your house tonight, but I suppose I can ask you here just as easily," Finn started. Rabia sighed.

"Whatever it is, the answer is no."

"Hold on, hear me out." Finn folded his hands on top of the table and waited until he had her attention. "I'm going to come right out and say this, Rabia."

"Well, that's a first for you," she snorted. His eyes hardened, but he continued.

"My parents have been very clear with me about this from the beginning. You are the only eligible Hylian woman of your standing that they approve of for marriage with me. Every other woman they deem to be unworthy. I know this is something you can relate to. Your parents don't approve of the only man you've claimed to love after me. I can't blame them - he did kill your father's best friend. Besides, it's not like any other man would be able to love you. I'd at least be willing to provide for you," he said. Rabia looked down and swallowed. She took a deep breath.

"You've said a lot of things Finn, but I didn't hear a single question in there." She looked back up and met his eyes. "Spit it out, or get lost. What do you _want_." Finn grinned.

"You. More specifically, a date with you on Nayru's Blessing Day. I know it's not like you have other plans. Not anymore, at least. What have you got to lose?" Rabia's eyes dropped back to the ground.

"If I agree to this date, will you _finally_ stop pursuing me when I turn you down?" Rabia finally asked, meeting his eyes. She had forgotten how intense green eyes could be until his hardened in a way that didn't match his grin.

"Agreed. I'll pick you up at eighteen o'clock Saturday night." He stood and left the table. Rabia stared at the cooling cup in her hands, lost in thought, until her friends pulled out the remaining chairs to join her.

"What the hell, was that Finn?" Kaikoura asked with a scowl. Rabia nodded and silently offered her the cocoa. Kaikoura took it and downed half of it in a couple gulps.

"Yeah, it was," Rabia sighed.

"What did _he_ want?" Zelda asked. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "He didn't hurt you, did he?" Her disgust immediately turned to concern as she looked at her friend. Rabia sighed.

"A date. I agreed to it-" she was cut off with an affronted noise from Kaikoura. "I agreed to it this time," she continued, "because he promised to stop pursuing me when I turn him down again. Not that his promises mean much, but maybe this time…" she trailed off and sighed, then shook her head.

"Rabia, you're avoiding my question," Zelda said impatiently. "Did he hurt you?"

"No, he- I'm fine," Rabia said. She spun the ring on her finger.

"...Can I kill him anyway?" Kaikoura asked as she glared at Finn's retreating back. Link looked between the three girls with a frown.

"I don't get it - why do you guys hate him so much?" he asked. He glanced at Sheik, who shrugged back at him.

"That's none of your business," Rabia snapped at him. She stood and dusted herself off. "Are you guys ready to go yet?"

"Yeah, it's probably best if we leave," Sheik said as he looked at Kaikoura. He had never seen her so angry. "I'm worried Kaikoura might actually try to kill him if we stay any longer." They gathered up their things and returned the rented skates, then got back in the carriage to head home.

* * *

Nayru's Blessing Day is kind of like Hylian Valentine's Day

OCs: Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae), Katrina (Rabia's kitty), Kaikoura (Rabia's BFF/Sheik's bae), Finn (Rabia's ex/not-so-nice guy)


	24. Run for Your Life

(if you wanna get out alive) Run For Your Life

1723 words

* * *

(Saturday, Nayru's Blessing Day)

~Sheik and Kaikoura ~

It was almost noon time when Kaikoura arrived at Sheik's house in Kakariko Village. It was later than she'd intended - her morning shift had gone over half an hour which made her run late for their date. She dug the keys out from the bottom of her bag and unlocked the door.

"Sheik?" she called. She stepped into the living room and frowned. There were piles of folded sheets and blankets sitting on the couches, which had been flipped around so the backs faced each other. A bunch of pillows were on the floor between them. Kaikoura kicked off her shoes and set them in the closet. "Sorry I'm late, I got held up at work!" she called as she walked around the mess towards the kitchen. Sheik was standing at the counter, chopping up some vegetables.

"That's alright," he smiled. "I've just started preparing lunch. How was work?" he asked as he chopped up a pepper. Kaikoura moved into the kitchen and stepped up beside him. Sheik pressed a kiss to her cheek and she smiled.

"It was alright. Busy today, and the person taking over for me was late coming in," she said, bumping his hip with hers. Sheik scooped up the peppers onto a plate of veggies, cheese and sandwich meats.

"Grab the bread?" he asked as he headed to the living room. Kaikoura grabbed the bread rolls and set them down on a side table. Sheik grabbed a folded blanket and handed it to Kaikoura, then grabbed another and started shaking it out.

"What are you doing?" Kaikoura asked.

"Well, it'll be impossible to get into any restaurants today, and it's too snowy to have a picnic outside. So we're going to make a blanket fort for an indoor picnic," Sheik said. He spread the blanket across the backs of the couches and weaved in some fairy lights while Kaikoura added her blanket to the fort. Soon they had a nice cozy space under the blankets, with a door facing the kitchen. Kaikoura crawled in first and Sheik handed her the plates and bread before he followed her in. The soft glow of the fairy lights gave them just enough light to see each other as they curled up on the pillows together.

~Zelda and Link ~

"Link, what are we doing here so late?" Zelda asked. She took his offered hand and dismounted Epona. It was the middle of the night and they were in a snow-covered Hyrule Field. There were a few chairs set up in the snow and there was nothing in sight save Lon Lon Ranch in the distance. Link offered one of the chairs to Zelda and sat down close beside her. He set a blanket across both their laps and another around their shoulders, then wrapped an arm around her waist.

"We're stargazing," he said with a smile. Zelda smiled back and set her head on his shoulder.

"What's that one?" Zelda asked, pointing at a constellation. Link tilted his head, considering.

"I think that's Gemini," he said after a minute. "Oh hey, do you see the dog?" Zelda giggled.

"I think it looks more like a horse!"

"Hm… you're right, it does." He pulled her closer and rested his head on hers.

~Rabia and Finn~

"Rabiaaaa!" Petra called up the stairs. "Finn is here for your date!" Rabia groaned to herself and looked in a mirror one more time. She was wearing a floor length, slinky, strapless gold gown with a long slit up the leg. She hooked on the necklace Vaati had given her, flipped her hair over her back, and headed downstairs. "Oh, you look… nice…" Petra said, looking her up and down. "He's waiting in the living room. Have fun!" she waved and walked away. Rabia grumbled to herself and entered the room.

"Hey," she sighed. "Let's get this over with." Finn stood with a smile.

"Rabia, you look lovely." He offered her his arm, which she ignored. He rolled his eyes and held the door open for her anyway. "I thought it'd be a nice night for a short walk to my house."

"Heels on cobblestones?" Rabia raised an eyebrow.

"It'll be fine," Finn stated. They walked to his place, Rabia cursing under her breath every time she tripped. Finn grabbed her by the elbow and steered her inside.

"Ow, let go!" she scowled. Finn ignored her and led her to the dining room, then pulled out a chair for her. She sat down and stared at him as he sat across from her. Servants came filing into the room as soon as he sat down and laid out plates of food.

"So? Did you think about what we discussed?" Finn asked as he sipped his wine. Rabia raised her eyebrow at him.

"We didn't discuss anything."

"We did," he insisted. "You're the only person my parents approve of me marrying. I'm the only person your parents approve of you marrying. I think you know where I'm going with this."

"Is that… supposed to be a proposal? Because that was lame as fuck and also _no."_

"Now Rabia, be sensible about this," he said. He set down his fork and looked at her seriously.

"I'm being very sensible right now. Why would I _ever_ want to be with someone like _you?"_ she snapped. Finn's eyes narrowed. Then, he smirked.

"Oh, I see… you think you love him. That _king_ of yours," he said. "You don't love him"

"...Excuse me?"

"You can't," Finn stated.

"He makes me happy," she crossed her arms and stared at him.

"Sure he does," Finn shrugged. "I never said he didn't. But you don't love him. He doesn't get under your skin the way I did."

"You were a _parasite_ ," she hissed. "He isn't - part of the appeal, actually."

"You're lying to yourself, Rabia. He doesn't make you happy the way I did. He doesn't make you feel butterflies in your stomach. You love him because he's safe. He's smart, funny, and kind, but he's safe."

"Don't make me laugh – you didn't give me _butterflies_ and you never made me happy! You made me _sick!_ " she snapped. "Safe is fine with me when it means I'm not going home with bruises like I did every damned day I was with you."

"You don't want safe. I can see it in your eyes - you want recklessness and passion and danger. You _need_ it," Finn said with a smirk.

"And you think you have all those things?" Rabia snorted. "Please."

"Well, what other choice do you have?"

"I can be single for the rest of my life. Or date literally anybody else," Rabia scoffed. "It's not like I don't have about a billion other options, Finn. I don't hate myself enough to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Alright, well, you can't say I didn't give you the choice."

"And _what_ is that supposed to mean?" she stood from her seat and glared at him. "Fucking _try_ me."

"Have you met my friend, Gideon?" Finn asked. A huge, grey-skinned man with dark blue eyes and a white cape entered the room.

"You brought a friend to a date?" Rabia asked. Finn grinned, but his eyes were hard. Rabia shook slightly and took a step back. "What is this?" Her eyes flicked between the two of them.

"I brought him along in case you needed a little extra… persuasion," Finn stated.

"... Okay… great, nice to meet you. I'm gonna leave now," she said. She stepped quickly around Gideon towards the door. Gideon grabbed her roughly. Rabia screamed as he shoved her against the nearest wall and pinned her by the throat. She struggled as he started chanting in a strange language and a dark mist surrounded them. The necklace around her neck glowed brightly before she passed out. Gideon released her and she dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Good work, worm. She will be a useful tool in my efforts. Bring her home - tomorrow she will be compliant with our demands," he hissed. Finn nodded and Gideon swept out of the room.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Dear Ganondorf,

I miss you. Your eyes, your smile, your laugh, your voice, your presence… and I keep writing you letters that I can't send to you but I hope you know that I miss you deeply. It's an ache so deep I feel it in my bones, and I don't think it'll ever go away. My parents still won't allow me to contact you in any way because they think you're too dangerous.

It's Nayru's Blessing Day and I know I should've told you this back in December at your birthday, but _I love you.**_

 _I have feelings for you**_

 _You're everything to me**_

 _I can't do this without you**_

I love you.

I also owe you an apology. Against my better judgement and everything I feel for you, I agreed to a dinner date with Finn tonight. I promise, it didn't mean anything to me. At least, I don't think it did. I don't really remember what happened and it's confusing me because there's an empty spot in my memories where this evening should be. All I remember is arriving at his place, waking up on the floor, and walking home. I have bruises on my neck and arm that I have to figure out how to cover, too.

I'm sorry I betrayed you by going out with him. I should've known better than to go on a date with him. Every time I'm with him he finds a way to hurt me. I know that I've hurt you by going out with him. I'm sorry. I don't love him. I don't like him. I don't want anything to do with him. But I'm afraid, because my parents won't allow me to don't want me to be with anyone else and I think I might end up stuck with him.

I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I'm sorry I betrayed you, I'm sorry I let him hurt me again, I'm sorry I can't see you, I'm sorry I kept you a secret for so long. Every day I wish I'd stayed in the desert with you instead of coming home. That was the biggest mistake I've ever made.

Bi és su n. (1)

Always yours,

Rabia

* * *

**she scribbled these out - doesn't have a strikethrough option. sorry.

OCs: Kaikoura (Sheik's bae, Rabia and Zelda's BFF), Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae), Petra (Rabia's step-mother), Finn (Rabia's ex/not-so-nice guy), Gideon (DEMON. A HUGE SCARY DEMON. Also the antagonist in this story)

Gerudo  
(1) I love you


	25. Bang Bang (I hit the ground)

Trigger warnings for domestic violence in this chapter

Rabia gets sucked back in

1807 words

* * *

(Sunday)

Rabia woke late the next morning. She was still in the dress she had worn the night before, minus her shoes. She groaned to herself as the sunlight made head throb even more and buried her head underneath her pillow. She didn't remember drinking the night before, but she felt hungover. After a few more minutes, she slowly got out of bed to get ready for the day. She spotted the letter she had written on her desk and folded it up, then stowed it in a box under her bed.

She showered, dressed, and adorned herself with the rose ring and the hair comb. She was about to leave her bedroom when the necklace caught her eye. She put that on, too, then exited the room. She poked her head into the kitchen and, upon finding it empty, snuck in to make herself breakfast. She had sat down with a bowl of oatmeal and raspberries when the doorbell rang.

"Kaikoura, hi!" Petra said. "Come on in. I think Rabia's in the kitchen." Her voice grew louder as she approached and poked her head inside. "Yeah, she's in here."

"Thanks, Mrs. Henderson," Kaikoura smiled and sat down at the island next to Rabia.

"Hey Kaik," Rabia hummed around a mouthful of oatmeal. "What's up?"

"Nothing, I just got bored. Are you doing anything today?" she asked. Rabia shrugged.

"I mean, I'm still grounded, so unless I hang out with like, you or Zelda, then no."

"Oh, great. Well, not great that you're still grounded but like, great that you're not doing anything. Because I thought we could hang, if you want to," Kaikoura said. Petra handed each of them a cup of tea and sat down with them.

"I think that's a great idea. Rabia needs to get out of the house - she's going to become a hermit," Petra said.

" _You're_ the one who grounded me," Rabia said, raising an eyebrow at her. Petra scowled.

"Don't give me attitude, young lady! Just… go to Kaikoura's house."

"Gladly," Rabia muttered. She took care of her dishes and Kaikoura's cup.

"Actually, we're going to Sheik's house in Kakariko Village," Kaikoura said to Petra.

"Of course, dear. I'll see you later," she patted Kaikoura's head and left the room. Rabia rolled her eyes and followed Kaikoura outside. They both got their horses and headed toward Kakariko Village in a comfortable silence. They got to Sheik's house and let the horses out in the yard. Sheik was meditating, so they waved to him in greeting before heading inside.

"So why Sheik's house and not yours?" Rabia asked once they were inside.

"Dad was driving me crazy, and it looked like you could use a break from Castle Town," she said. They both looked around when the back door opened and Sheik stepped into the dining room.

"Yeah, I definitely can," Rabia agreed. Sheik stepped into the room carefully balancing three tea cups in his hands. He offered one to Rabia and Kaikoura, then settled down across from them with his own. "Thanks, Sheik." Kaikoura sighed.

"Okay, the real reason I brought you here is because I wanted to make sure you were okay after that date with Finn," she blurted out.

"I'm fine," Rabia said.

"Rabia, you're wearing, like, ten pounds of makeup right now," Kaikoura frowned. "You don't have to lie. You're bad at lying anyway."

"It's just a few bruises - I don't even remembered how they happened," Rabia answered.

"I'm going to _kill_ him," Kaikoura said angrily and jumped from her seat. Sheik set a hand on her shoulder. Kaikoura closed her eyes and took some deep breaths.

"He's hurt you before?" Sheik asked, turning to Rabia. She looked down at the floor and nodded.

"Yes. It's… it's why I left him in the first place," she muttered, tracing her fingers around the edge of the tea cup. Sheik let out a slow breath.

"You should ice the bruises. It'll bring down the swelling," he said. He left the room before she could reply.

"Goddesses, Rabia, you have to stop seeing him! He's already started this shit again and it was just one date," Kaikoura said. "I can't watch him do this again."

"It's just a few bruises, Kaikoura. I've hurt myself worse walking down the street," Rabia sighed. "Besides, I'm not going to see him again. That was the last time."

"Yeah, well, you've said that several times before and none of those were the last either," she scowled. Sheik came back in a minute later with a bag of ice, wrapped up in a towel.

"May I see?" he asked.

"Sheik, I can ice it myself," Rabia said. He raised an eyebrow. She huffed and rolled her eyes, but rolled up her sleeve so he could see the dark purple-black bruise on her upper arm. Kaikoura swore loudly. Sheik sat down beside her and carefully iced the bruise.

"How are you even moving that?" he asked.

"Carefully," Rabia answered. "It looks worse than it is," she shrugged and took the ice.

"I'm going to kill Finn. I'm going to rip off his dick, shove it down his throat, and then stab him. Multiple times," Kaikoura said. "I'm not watching him do this again," she repeated.

"I told you, I'm not going back. It was a one time thing - he promised he'd stop asking."

"Yeah, and he always keeps his promises," Kaikoura said.

"Did you just bring me here to yell at me? Because if I wanted to be yelled at I could've just stayed at home!" Rabia snapped.

"You're the only one yelling," Kaikoura answered.

"...You're right. I'm sorry," Rabia conceded with a sigh. Kaikoura sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug.

"You must be really bummed if you're saying someone else is right for a change," she said. Rabia chuckled and hugged Kaikoura tight.

"You promise you won't see him again?" Kaikoura asked.

"I promise, Kaik."

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Rabia came back to herself with a scream as her arm snapped. She held it to her chest and looked up at Finn, who loomed over her angrily. She appeared to be in a theater, though it wasn't one she recognized. The last thing she remembered was Kaikoura and Sheik dropping her off in Castle Town.

"I _thought_ I told you to be quiet!" he snapped.

"I-I… what?" Rabia gasped. "I think you broke my _arm_."

"Good! Maybe now you'll be quiet! I _told_ you _to_ _stop with the flute_!" Finn growled and shoved her back. She looked up at him, confused.

"I-I… I think I should g-go," she stuttered.

"Yeah, maybe you should," he snarled. "You're getting on my nerves." Rabia slid past him, still cradling her arm close and made her way outside. Duke was hitched up outside, so she grabbed his reins and lead him away as quick as she could.

"Come on, Duke. I have to get my arm fixed…" she said. Duke nudged the front gate open with his nose and they stepped out onto the street. "Oh, we're still in Castle Town?" she let out a breath of relief and lead him along to Frank's house. He was the closest person she could get to that her dad trusted, and if she went home her dad would just freak out. She clumsily patted Duke's face with her left hand after dropping his reins. "Stay here - I can't tie you one handed." She kissed his nose, then walked up to the front door and knocked. She didn't wait long before the door was pulled open.

"...Rabia? What are you doing here?" Gunner said.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're home," Rabia breathed. "I need a favor. Are you busy?" she asked.

"No," Gunner said. "What do you need?"

"Um… a ride," she said. "I-I slipped on some ice and I think I broke my arm."

"Shit, seriously? Okay, let's go," Gunner said. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her back to her horse. He boosted her up and mounted behind her. He urged Duke into a gentle trot and tried to guide him around as many dips in the road as possible.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

When Gunner dropped her off back at home, her right arm was secured in a cast. The house was dark. Her parents still weren't home from their date and her little brothers were already in bed. She walked in quietly, hoping not to wake anyone up. Rob stepped into the foyer when he heard the door open and let out a breath of relief.

"Oh, Rabia, thank the goddesses your home. What happened? You texted me you were on your way home hours ago," he said and pulled her into a hug.

"Sorry, Rob," she said, her voice muffled in his shirt. "I slipped on ice on the way home and had to get a ride to the hospital. I broke my fucking arm," she grumbled. "Gunner brought me home." Rob stepped back and looked at her, taking in the splint.

"Damn, okay. Text me next time, though. I was really worried," he said. "Do you need anything? I can ask Dad to stop on the way home to grab some pain medicine or something," he said. Rabia shook her head.

"No, they numbed it before the set it - it doesn't really hurt right now. I'm just going to go to bed," she stifled a yawn. "I guess you could ask them to pick up Duke from Frank's house if they pass by, though. Night," she waved to him before heading upstairs. She locked her bedroom door behind her and snagged a piece of paper before settling in to write a letter.

* * *

Dear Ganondorf,

I hope to the goddesses you can even read this - I'm writing lefty because _Finn** _I broke my arm today. I used to be lefty when I was little so maybe it'll work out okay. I'm just writing to tell you that I still miss you and that I love you very much. My parents aren't being as overbearing as they were so _maybe_ I can sneak away for a while to visit you. I'm going to hope so anyway. I really want to see you - I feel like part of me is missing.

Those blackouts I keep having are getting worse, too. I was hanging out at Sheik's house today with him and Kaikoura and I remember being there and hanging out and heading back to Castle Town, but after entering Castle Town everything is blank. At least until _Finn broke my_ ** I broke my arm leaving Finn's house. I don't remember going there at all. I barely remember _seeing_ him at all. I don't know how that happened, but it's just getting worse and it's scaring me.

I miss you.

I love you,

Rabia

* * *

**scribbled out (no strike through option here, sorry)

OCs: Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae), Petra (Rabia's step-mother), Kaikoura (Rabia's BFF/Sheik's bae), Finn (Rabia's ex/antagonist), Gunner (Rabia's first love/ex/her dad's BFF's oldest son)


	26. I Can't Think Without You (Interrupt)

I Can't Think Without You (interrupting me)

Rabia's friends notice something is off about her, and she makes a horrifying announcement

1530 words

* * *

(Wednesday)

Zelda and Kaikoura were walking along the cobblestoned streets arm-in-arm. They were heading to Rabia's house to gather her up for a trail ride. Link and Sheik were waiting at the castle stables, getting some horses ready for the trip.

"Did she seem happy the other day? When she was with you and Sheik?" Zelda asked. The group had been trying to keep Rabia busy so she wouldn't have time to mope about her breakup, but it didn't seem to be working.

"Well, no. But she had a date with Finn the night before and we both know how that always turns out," Kaikoura said. Zelda sighed.

"I wish she'd find someone who could make her happy that _wasn't_ Ganondorf."

"Me, too. How are you and Link? Things going well?" Kaikoura asked.

"Oh, he's wonderful!" Zelda smiled. "He always knows how to brighten my day," she sighed wistfully. "Just yesterday he stopped by in the middle of a meeting just to give m- what?" she cut off when Kaikoura elbowed her.

"Look!" Kaikoura hissed. Finn and Rabia were sitting on the edge of the fountain in the middle of Castle Town together. Rabia was giggling at something Finn had said and playing with her hair, and Finn was looking rather smug.

"What in the world…?" Zelda blinked, aghast.

"Rabia, hi!" Kaikoura waved, pulling Zelda over to her and Finn. Finn glared at her but Rabia didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, hi Kaiky! Hi Zelda! What are you two up to?" she asked.

"We were heading to your house actually. What are you two doing?" Kaikoura asked. She was smiling, but her eyes were hard.

"Funny you should ask! We were just taking a walk together. It's beautiful out today," Rabia said. Zelda blinked - Rabia _hated_ the snow.

"Oh, you didn't tell your friends yet, darling?" Finn asked as he took her hand in his. Zelda couldn't help but notice the edge of a purple cast sticking out of her coat sleeve. Neither could Kaikoura because she actually _growled_ at Finn.

"Tell us _what?_ " Kaikoura snapped, now full out glaring at him.

"Rabia and I have decided to get back together! Isn't that wonderful?" Finn grinned, shark-like, at Kaikoura. He turned to Rabia and kissed her cheek. "I suppose I can give you up to your friends for now, dear. Have fun, I'll see you at home at 16 o'clock." He tilted her head and kissed her lips, then headed off in the opposite direction. Rabia sighed wistfully as she watched him go. There was something off about her friend, but Zelda couldn't place it.

"You're _back together?_ " Kaikoura said sharply.

"No, this isn't the place for this conversation, Kaikoura." Zelda grabbed her friend's elbow gently. "Let's go back to the castle, okay? Come on," she tugged them along. Rabia followed and hummed to herself while Kaikoura muttered under her breath every few minutes. They got back to the castle in record time. Zelda led her friends to a private drawing room and locked the door behind them. Kaikoura immediately rounded on Rabia.

"You're _back together?!_ " she repeated angrily.

"Yeah," Rabia smiled brightly at her friends. "We're engaged again!"

"Are you shitting me right now? Why the fuck would you get back together with him?! You were at my place on _Sunday_ covered in bruises that _he_ gave you! He broke your arm two days ago! Are you _insane?!_ "

"He didn't break my arm! I slipped! And those bruises were an accident. You need to just chill out, Kaikoura. I thought you'd be _happy_ for us," Rabia said, crossing her arms.

"You know what? I'm done. I can't keep dealing with the aftermath of him hurting you if you don't care. I'm fucking done." Kaikoura left. She slammed the door behind her, and a silence fell over the room.

"Wow. What's up _her_ ass?" Rabia asked Zelda.

"Rabia… are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, even if those last couple things _were_ an accident, he has a history of hurting you," she said gently. "Are you sure you can trust him not to?" Rabia scowled at her friend.

"He's _never_ hurt me if I didn't deserve it. I thought of the two of you, at least _you'd_ be happy for us, but I guess I was wrong." She stalked towards the door angrily. Zelda's eyes widened, but she schooled her expression and caught Rabia's wrist gently.

"I'm happy if _you're_ happy, Rabia. I merely wanted to know if you wanted this, or if you were doing it because of what happened with Ganondorf," Zelda said. "If Finn is who you want to be with, then I'm happy for you two." Rabia let out a sigh, then smiled at her friend.

"Thanks Zelda. Sorry for freaking out at you. Kaikoura just makes me so _angry_ sometimes and I thought you were going to say the same things about Finn."

"No, of course not. Your happiness is all that matters, Rabia. Kaik will come around - you'll see."

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

(Wednesday, 1 week later {Feb 26})

It was evening in late February when Kamilah couldn't take it anymore. Ganondorf had not heard from Rabia since her birthday three weeks prior. Neither had Aveil, Nabooru, or herself. Ganondorf was concerned but he had been busy with his duties to the valley and hadn't been able to get to Castle Town. Nabooru was in the same boat. Aveil was highly recognizable by the guards since her thievery attempt at the castle. So, Kamilah made her decision. She approached Nabooru's office and knocked.

"Enter," Nabooru called. Kamilah pushed the door open and approached Nabooru's desk. "Kamilah, what can I do for you?" she asked after a moment, setting aside a handful of papers.

"I know my duties are to serve here in the valley, but I was hoping I could go to Castle Town tomorrow." Kamilah answered. Nabooru paused and glanced up at her.

"You want to go to Castle Town?" she frowned. "What's brought this on?" Her voice was curious, and a little cautious. It was well-known in the valley that Kamilah had avoided Castle Town at all costs for the past sixteen years. Kamilah sighed.

"No one has heard from Rabia in two weeks. I'm worried, and so is the King. I just want to check on her," she replied. Nabooru nodded.

"I'm sure we can do with one less server tomorrow - that's fine," she replied.

"Well… I was hoping to go with them for the rest of the week," Kamilah said. Nabooru hesitated.

"Tomorrow is fine. I'll get back to you about the rest of the week in the morning - someone will need to cover for you," she said. Kamilah nodded.

"Of course," she replied. "Thank you."

That evening, Kamilah couldn't sleep. Her thoughts were racing. She knew Rabia had been grounded, but it was unlike her to not contact any of them, especially Ganondorf. Even before Kamilah had met her she knew Rabia texted him several times a day, if the dopey smiles he gave his cell phone had been any indication. Maybe Rabia's phone had been taken away - but she still hadn't written a single letter. Kamilah couldn't help but think that something terrible had happened.

When Kamilah saw Rabia in Castle Town sitting on the fountain with Finn, she was confused. She wasn't sure who that man was, why Rabia was acting strange, or why her friends looked angry about it. Kamilah waited by the castle all day, until Rabia finally emerged around late afternoon.

"Rabia!" Kamilah called, running over to her. "Rabia, I'm so glad to see you. We were all so worried!" she pulled her into a hug. Rabia stiffened and Kamilah immediately let go and took a step back. "Are you okay?" she asked with concern. Rabia's eyes were blank as she looked back at Kamilah.

"Who are you?" she asked. She stepped away from Kamilah. Kamilah frowned.

"That's not funny, Rabia. Why haven't you written to any of us?" she asked. "Ganondorf has been worried. We've all been worried." Rabia blinked.

"I'm sorry, I'm going to be late." She brushed passed Kamilah and started walking home.

"Rab-!" she called, but Rabia had already disappeared into the crowd.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

 _Darling,**_

Dear Ganondorf,

I thought it'd be polite to inform you that my engagement with Finn is back on, _I don't know what happened or when I decided this but I don't want to marry him please**_ and I no longer wish to be in a committed relationship with you. _Ignore that, I love you, I don't want anyone else, especially not Finn.**_ We had fun, but Finn is the only one for me. We've been through a lot together and I owe him something for that. I _don't owe that monster anything after what he did to me oh goddesses I don't know what to do I keep blacking out and I don't remember any of this**_ I hope this isn't a disappointment to you, but I thought you knew where we stood. _We both wanted something that lasted, we were on the same page.**_ Send my love regards to Nabooru, Aveil, and Kamilah.

 _Love, always,**_

Sincerely,

 _Your_ **Rabia

* * *

**these are all scribbled out (sorry - there's no strikethrough option)

OCs: Kaikoura (Rabia's BFF/Zelda's Sister-in-Law/Sheik's bae), Finn (Rabia's horrible ex/fiance/Gideon's worm), Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae/BFFs with Kaikoura and Zelda)


	27. On the Verge (of a breakdown)

On the Verge (of a breakdown)

A trip to Castle Town and some Sibling Bonding

Warnings for some F-bombs, if that sort of thing bothers you

1464 words

* * *

(Thursday)

Rabia woke up early Thursday morning to insistent knocking on her bedroom door.

"Rabia, are you alive in here?" Rob called through the door. "Come on, sis, you said you were coming with me today," he said. "We have to leave in an hour!" Rabia sighed and rolled out of bed, then opened the bedroom door.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"I'm going out today and you said you wanted to come last night," Rob answered. "Something about cake for your wedding? I need to get new drum sticks. I broke my last pair," he said. "Remember?"

"Oh. Right. Yeah, I'll be down in a minute. I'm just going to shower…" she closed the door behind Rob and started getting ready. She pulled on some shoes and went to leave, but spotted the newest letter to Ganondorf on the desk and paused. She folded the paper and knelt beside her bed to put it with the others.

"Rabia, are you ready?" Rob called through the door. Rabia swept the folded up letters into an inside pocket of her coat and zipped it up quickly as Rob opened the door.

"Yeah, I'm ready. I was just getting my coat," she said. She glanced to the blue necklace on her vanity table and hesitated. "...Let's go," she said. She ignored the necklace and brushed past Rob out the door. Rob followed her and closed the bedroom door behind them.

"So I was thinking we could hit up the music store first, since it's closer and I won't be in there long," Rob said. "And then we can go to the bakery and grab breakfast? Or just try different cakes for breakfast, I'm not picky."

"Cake for breakfast?" Rabia asked incredulously.

"Why not?" Rob asked with a grin. "I won't tell Mom if you won't."

"Sounds good to me," Rabia laughed. The two of them walked together, chatting. The streets weren't crowded yet since it was still early, so they made good time getting to the music store. Rob pushed open the door and walked straight up to the counter.

"Good morning, Malik," Rob greeted the man behind the counter. "I need some drum sticks."

"Didn't you just buy some two weeks ago?" Malik asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah I… broke them all. The band is taking off so we've been playing a lot," Rob shrugged.

"Alright, I'll show you what I've got." Malik rounded the counter and led Rob off to one side of the store. Rabia wandered around, glancing over rows of different guitars and shelves of sheet music until she spotted someone familiar through the window. Rabia quickly crossed street quickly to where Kamilah was setting up shop with a group of Gerudo women.

"Kamilah?" Rabia asked. "What are you doing in Castle Town?" Kamilah paused and turned to Rabia questioningly.

"What happened to you being too busy to talk to me?" she asked with a frown. Rabia blinked.

"What…?"

"Yesterday you were too busy to talk. You even pretended not to remember me," Kamilah stated. It was clear she was rather offended.

"I saw you yesterday?" Rabia asked, confused. "I'm sorry… I don't remember that…" she let out a frustrated huff. "My memory has been weird lately."

"Yeah, I noticed," Kamilah said with a raised eyebrow. "Are you okay? No one in the valley has heard from you in weeks and yesterday you were acting strange. Did something happen?"

"I've been grounded and got my phone taken away," Rabia said, rolling her eyes. "I'm okay though," she gave Kamilah an unconvincing smile. She glanced back towards the music shop. Rob had poked his head out and was looking for Rabia in the crowd. "Shit, I have to go…" she fumbled with her jacket for a minute and unceremoniously shoved the folded up letters into Kamilah's hands. "Here, take these. They're for Ganondorf. I'll see you later," she waved and hurried off before Kamilah could reply.

"Rabia, there you are!" Rob said as she rejoined him by the shop.

"Yeah, sorry. I saw something across the street and went to look," she said with a smile. "Did you get your sticks?" Rob held up bag.

"Yep! This should last me awhile. I hope. Ready to go to the bakery?" he asked as he looped his arm in her uninjured one.

"Actually, unless you want to go anywhere else I think we should head back home. I'm getting cold and I'm not really in the mood to choose a wedding cake today," she sighed. Rob shrugged.

"Sounds good to me. But you owe me breakfast."

"Deal," she answered. The two made their way back home through the thickening crowd. When they got home there was no sign of Petra, Saul, or their two little brothers. "Huh. Where'd they go?" Rabia wondered.

"Oh, Mom left a note on the counter," Rob said. He picked it up. "I guess Dad has to go pretty far for his gig tonight. Lance and Chase have a birthday party to go to with Mom and won't be home until after lunch." Rabia opened the fridge and hummed.

"Well we have eggs and bacon. I could probably make some pancakes or something if you want to cook those," she said to Rob.

"No way, sis. I'm making the mimosas," he stated and opened one of the cupboards.

"Can mine be a screwdriver instead?" Rabia asked as she heated up a pan and started mixing up pancake batter.

"Were you raised by _wolves_?" Rob scoffed. "Mimosas are so much better! But… I guess I can make a screwdriver, just for you."

"Great, thanks. Do you want chocolate chips or blueberries in your pancakes?" she asked.

"Um, chocolate chips obviously. Lots of them. Make them like, 50% chocolate," Rob said.

"This is why you're my favorite big brother," Rabia stated as she poured in some extra chocolate chips.

"I'm your _only_ older brother."

"Well if you weren't, you'd still be my favorite," Rabia smiled. She spooned some pancake batter onto one of the pans and cracked some eggs into another. The two settled into an easy rhythm and soon breakfast was ready.

"Let's break all the rules and eat in front of the TV," Rob said. He scooped up his plate and glass, and Rabia followed suit. "Just don't spill anything and Mom will never know."

"Oh goddesses, that's so much pressure, Rob," Rabia said. Rob rolled his eyes and flipped on the TV. The two fell into a comfortable silence until they finished their breakfast.

"Oh hey! Since Lance and Chase aren't home… how about a friendly game of Mario Kart?" Rob asked.

"Since when has Mario Kart _ever_ been friendly?" Rabia asked. "I'm down if you get me another screwdriver."

"I _guess_..." Rob sighed dramatically. He stood and ruffled Rabia's hair, receiving a swat for his efforts, and scooped up their glasses. "Start it up, will you?" Rabia started up the game while Rob was refilling their drinks, and had already chosen her character (Yoshi) and her kart by the time he got back. Rob settled onto the couch beside her and grabbed his controller. He selected Baby Peach and started up the game.

"Oh, you did _not_ just fucking blue shell me!" Rabia yelled. The two had started with one friendly game a couple hours ago, which had turned into a full on Mario Kart war.

"Oh I fucking did!" Rob cackled maniacally as baby Peach zoomed past Yoshi to the finish line.

"NOOOO!" Rabia cried and fell to her knees dramatically.

"YESSS!" Rob fist pumped as Baby Peach raced around the celebratory track in first place with Yoshi trailing behind in second. "SUCK ON THAT, I WON!"

"Robert! Did you just yell what I think you yelled?!" Petra's voice floated in from the foyer, followed by Lance and Chase's giggles.

"Uhh… no?" he called back. Petra walked in and gave him an unimpressed look.

"I should wash your mouth out with soap," she scolded. "Boys, go outside to play," she shooed Lance and Chase out into the backyard and turned to look at her eldest. "I thought you two were going out today," she said. "You should, it's beautiful out. And Rabia, should you really be playing that with a broken arm?"

"It's _snowy_ out, Mom," Rabia wrinkled her nose. "And it doesn't hurt right now, so…" she shrugged.

"Well, it's nice to see you two spending some quality time together," Petra said with a smile.

"What? No, nonono, we were having a _very serious_ Mario Kart tournament - no sibling bonding whatsoever," Rabia shook her head.

"Awww, come on baby sis, you love meeeee," Rob pulled her into a tight hug and mashed her face against his chest to muffle her protests. Petra rolled her eyes and walked away.

* * *

OCs:  
Rob (Rabia's big brother/drummer in a super cool rock band), Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae), Malik (music shop owner), Kamilah (Rabia's birth-mother/servant in the fortress/renowned warrior), Saul (Rabia's father), Petra (Rabia's step-mother), Lance (Rabia's little brother), Chase (Rabia's youngest brother)


	28. (I can't fight the fire) I can't fight

(I can fight the fire) I can't fight the fear

A scary encounter with Gideon and Finn

1225 words

* * *

(Friday)

Rabia and her family had sat down for breakfast in the breakfast nook when there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Rabia said, after a moment of hesitation. Petra was still trying to get Lance and Chase's breakfasts together so they could finish getting ready for school. She gave Rabia a grateful look as she settled the last plates on the table. Rabia pulled the front door open. "Hel- Oh. It's you," she said.

"Hello, Rabia. We were going to go over wedding plans today, remember?" Finn asked with a raised eyebrow. Rabia sighed in irritation.

"My brothers haven't even left for school yet. We're eating breakfast now. It's not that important - it can wait."

"Not that important?" Finn glared at her and Rabia took a step back. "Our marriage is very important, Rabia." Rabia was saved from replying as Rob stepped up behind her.

"Oh yeah, sure, super important. You can wait inside," Rob said. He returned the glare and pulled his sister behind him. "I'm sure Mom would _love_ for you to join us." It was clear how he felt about that. He led them back into the kitchen.

"Finn! What a lovely surprise," Petra smiled. "Would you like to join us?" she asked, moving to set another place.

"Oh, no thank you, Mrs. Henderson. I've already had breakfast. I appreciate the offer, though," he smiled at her charmingly. "I'm just here to collect Rabia. We have wedding plans to discuss, after all."

"Of course, Finn," Petra smiled. She finally settled down to eat her own breakfast as Lance and Chase were finishing theirs. Saul stood and urged the boys upstairs.

"I'll get them dressed and bring them to school," he said. "Rob, take care of the dishes, will you?" he added. Rob shoved his last bit of toast into his mouth and started clearing up plates. Petra made polite small talk with Finn while Rabia picked at her breakfast, trying to drag out the inevitable. Finally, Petra got irritated with her stalling and scooped up Rabia's plate with her own.

"Go get dressed - you two still have a lot of work to do," Petra said. Rabia grumbled to herself, but ran upstairs to get changed as Saul and her two little brothers headed out the door. She had already showered so it took her five minutes to change into her outfit, don the necklace with the blue stone, and meet Finn back in the foyer.

"Bye, I'll be home later," she said to Petra and Rob as Finn pulled her out the door. "Where are we going?" she asked after they were a decent distance away. "Can't you just hire someone to plan this?" Finn scoffed.

"Please, I already have. We're going to my house so I can keep an eye on you," Finn rolled his eyes. " _Someone_ has to."

"Of course, Finn, you're right," Rabia smiled up at him and twined their fingers together. Finn looked smug.

"I'm glad to see the necklace works - it makes that spell kick in so much faster," he said. "And it's so much easier to get things done when you're complacent." Rabia looked at him in confusion. Finn just shook his head with a smile. "Never mind, dearest. Gideon wants to speak to you, anyway." Rabia tensed and stopped walking. Finn tugged on her arm.

"Come _on,_ Rabia. We don't have all day!" he snapped and turned to glare at her.

"I… I don't want to talk to Gideon," she pulled her hand free and took a step back. "I don't want to go with you to your house and talk to Gideon." She shook her head, confused.

"Don't be ridiculous. You're coming with me. Now." He gave her a level stare and offered his hand. She considered him for a moment, then took his hand meekly. "Good girl. Come along." He led her to his house, despite her palpable fear. By the time they got there, she was paler, her hand was shaking in his, and her palms were sweaty. "Ew…" he wrinkled his nose and let go of her hand to push the door open. "You know where his room is," Finn said. He waved her towards the stairs as he made his way to the library.

"But I-" the door slammed shut and she flinched as the sound echoed through the foyer. She eyed the stairs anxiously before starting up them. Her anxiety only grew as she walked down the long hallway to his door and by the time she reached it, her whole body was trembling. She took a couple deep breaths, then knocked.

"Enter." Rabia reached for the doorknob but the door creaked open before she grabbed it. She took a breath and stepped inside. The suite was spacious, as all the rooms in Finn's mansion were. The living room of Gideon's suite was filled with various types of plants, instead of furniture. There were plants in pots on shelves along the walls, in large planters in the center of the room, and hanging from the ceiling. The room had essentially been turned into a makeshift atrium. "Ah, Rabia, I see the worm has finally fetched you." Gideon appeared through the foliage and Rabia shrank back. "How do you like my garden?" he asked. He ignored her unease and set a hand on her back to steer her further into the room.

"I-It's… nice," Rabia stuttered to a halt once Gideon released her. "What did you need me for?" she asked as she eyed him warily. He turned to face her; His white cape swished around him as he turned.

"Give me your necklace," he said and reached out a clawed hand. Rabia fumbled with the clasp and almost threw it at him in her haste. "Now, don't move." He circled her and muttered under his breath as a dark, glowing purple light encased her. Once the light dimmed, Rabia resembled Gideon's visage with her deep blue eyes, her black hair, and her greyish-blue skin. "We can't have you wandering around like this, can we?" Gideon grinned coldly and grasped the pendent in his hand. The gem glowed before he clasped it back around her neck. Rabia's skin and hair returned to their original hues, though her eyes retained their sapphire color. "You will wear this necklace at all times. If anyone questions you, tell them you are wearing colored contacts. Do you understand." It was clear this was not a question.

"Yes, Gideon," Rabia said.

"Good girl," Gideon patted her cheek. "Now, tend to these plants. I need to speak with your fiancé." He stalked out of the room and Rabia got to work.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

(Friday)

"Worm," Gideon's gravelly voice made Finn flinch.

"Yes?" he turned to face Gideon and offered him a glass of wine. Gideon waved it off.

"The spell is complete. There should be no more slip ups in Rabia's behavior, regardless of how long she stays away. Make sure she always wears that necklace. When the spell is this strong it has some… obvious side effects," Gideon snarled in annoyance.

"Side effects? Like what?" Finn demanded.

"Just do what I say," Gideon's voice was a low growl. "And there will be nothing to worry about." He and Finn stared each other down until Finn looked away.

"Fine. Whatever," Finn scowled.

* * *

OCs:  
Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae), Petra (Rabia's step mother), Finn (Rabia's ex/Gideon's minion), Rob (Rabia's older brother), Saul (Rabia's father), Lance (Rabia's younger bother), Chase (Rabia's youngest brother), Gideon (demon)


	29. Life's Bittersweet (that's what they say

All Gerudo language used belongs to gerudoshikyapril on Tumblr!

Ganondorf gets Rabia's letters... and a call to action.

This chapter also has a LOT of strikethroughs, which will be denoted as _**[s]**_ asjdfs _ **[/s]**_ because doesn't allow strikethroughs - just imagine scribbled out spots in a letter and it'll make sense :D

A bit of a filler but... a relevant filler. A... relefiller.

Yikes.

* * *

Life's Bittersweet (that's what they say)

2906 words

(Friday Night)

Kamilah and the other women arrived back in the desert an hour after sunset. Kamilah didn't bother helping the others unpack. Instead, she headed straight to Ganondorf's house.

"State your business," one guard said. Kamilah huffed in annoyance.

"I have to speak with King Ganondorf," she said. "It's urgent."

"Do you have an appointment?" the other guard asked.

"No, but it's an emergency," Kamilah said.

"I'm sorry, he is very busy. You have to have an appointment t-" the first guard started.

"I don't CARE about appointments!" Kamilah yelled. "This is important and he'd want to know immediately!" There was a cough from behind Kamilah, and she whirled around. Ganondorf looked between the three women.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

"Thank the goddesses," Kamilah breathed. She pulled the letters out of her pockets and handed them to him. "These are from Rabia. There's something very wrong."

"Wrong how?" Ganondorf asked.

"I don't know! She was acting strange, like a completely different person. It was like she didn't remember me. Today when I saw her she was almost acting normal again, but she ran off so fast I couldn't make sure she was okay. There's something _wrong_ , Ganondorf, and I'm worried it's bad."

"Okay, calm down. I'm sure everything is fine. She was probably just in a hurry," Ganondorf said. "Thank you for the letters." He headed inside before Kamilah could reply and went into his office. He sank down into his chair and unfolded the letters, arranged them chronologically, and started reading. The first one was familiar, though the version he had seen had been rewritten before he received it.

 _Dear Ganondorf,_

 _Oh my goddesses, can you believe my dad? I'm so sorry for how he acted at the Farore's Day Festival - he's crazy over-protective of me and it drives me_ _ **insane**_ _. He's_ _ **actually**_ _concerned that I'm going to run away to the desert, which is a crazy assumption._

 _I'm lucky I even made it on time to our second date - he had one of his friends send me on some stupid errands to try and make me late. I was able to ditch those though, so it obviously worked out fine._

 _I still think your horse is cute and I'm glad you weren't put off by my awful flirting skills. They were pretty terrible. Like, so bad. After you left I picked myself up a copy of 'The Hollowed Plains'. It's different from what I usually read, but I like it._

 _Zelda and my dad keep warning me that you're not a good person, but I'm not sure I believe that. You may have made some bad choices in the past, but everyone deserves a second chance. I'm glad I agreed to another date with you._

 _Sorry again about my father,_

 _Rabia_

He set the first letter aside, and moved onto the next one. This letter was incomplete, and had never been finished as he had seen no version of it. Despite being unfinished, the words made him smile.

 _Dear Ganondorf,_

 _The valley is so beautiful - I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing the desert. I loved hearing you play the organ, and I still think you looked great wearing my lipstick. I've also found a way to keep seeing you without making anyone suspicious, which will be useful. Oh, and I finished that book - it was wonderful._

This, too, was set aside in favor of the next letter in the pile. The next one was also a letter he recognized in a different form. The unedited version was so Rabia he could almost hear her reading it to him.

 _Dear Ganondorf,_

 _I never get tired of visiting you in the valley - it's always so beautiful. I appreciate the heat more and more as Hyrule cools off. I love early fall but when it starts to get cold it just makes me want to stay inside and drink cocoa._

 _My two best friends are (finally) dating each other and they're disgustingly in love. The other two are also dating but they aren't in the honeymoon phase anymore (and haven't been for a while), so sometimes being in a group with all of them gets lonely. It's like being a third wheel, except there are five of us. So, it's not like being a third wheel at all. More like a fifth wheel? I don't know._

 _Hope to see you soon,_

 _Rabia_

So far, nothing seemed out of the ordinary in the letters Rabia had sent. But still, he set this one aside and moved onto the next one. Kamilah had been far too upset for him to brush off.

 _Dear Ganondorf,_

 _I really could've used you at the dance yesterday. Finn was there, and I had to dance with him. My parents really like him because we used to be engaged but after a while things got… bad. And, ugh, they invited him over for dinner tonight and it's not like I can just skip it because it's at my own house. It was nice when he left for finishing school - why couldn't he have just stayed in Altea? Things were so peaceful while he was gone. Now I'm constantly looking over my shoulder because he only lives a few houses away, not to mention the paranoia I have from all those creepy dreams…_

 _Goddesses, I don't know if I'll be able to sit through a dinner with him and his arrogance. I just texted Kaikoura, so hopefully she'll get it. I know she'll show up if she can - she's awesome like that and I'm lucky to have her. Oh shit, he's here_

This letter made him frown. He remembered Finn - his arrogance was hard to forget, and he obviously made Rabia very uncomfortable. He could feel her unease even through the letter, and the mention of her bad dreams was like a red flag. This letter was one he had never seen - apparently, she hadn't felt the need to finish it. He set this one aside in a separate pile and continued.

 _Dear Ganondorf,_

 _So that was… well, that was something. I just wanted you to know that I didn't flinch because I was afraid you'd hurt me. I'm obviously glad you stopped Nabooru from, you know, killing me, but for a moment I thought I was looking at Finn. It's not your fault - that kind of violence always puts me on edge now. A nice side-effect from dating Finn. I'm sorry if you felt like I was running from you._

 _Now that I've gotten that awkward explanation out of the way, I'm going to work on what to get you for your birthday! I have a few ideas floating around already, but I want it to be something special._

 _I can't wait to see you!_

 _Rabia_

This short letter was familiar to Ganondorf, but the part about Finn had been omitted from the one he had received. This, too, he set aside, but he still hadn't found anything to warrant the panic Kamilah had displayed. He picked up the next letter and read on.

 _Dear Ganondorf,_

 _Spending the week with you in the desert was so much fun! The desert is so beautiful and you guys really know how to throw a party. It was nice to meet your daughter, too, even if she didn't like me very much. I've also decided that I have to try drunk flute playing more often. It was awful, but entertaining. I hope I didn't cause too much trouble that last day with you with the whole Kamilah and Nabooru thing. I insulted poor Aveil and she didn't even do anything._

 _I just got home from the valley and I miss being there already. It's so cold in Hyrule right now. If I could've stayed there with you, I would have. The sun was amazing, but being with you was even better. I'm glad I was able to spend the whole week with you, and I hope I'll see you soon._

 _Yours,_

 _Rabia_

This one he had gotten as a shortened text message the day after she got back to Hyrule after his birthday. He set the letter aside in the first pile and picked up another. This one was actually to Rabia, from Ganondorf, for her birthday. He frowned and set it aside in the first pile. It was obvious that in her haste, Rabia had handed more than she had intended to Kamilah. He picked up the next.

 _Dear Ganondorf,_

 _Thank you so much! The ring is beautiful. My party wasn't much fun anyway - I doubt you would've enjoyed it. It was made even worse by the fact that my parents invited Finn. He keeps showing up where he's not wanted and it's horrible._

 _I'm still grounded and I'm not sure when I'll be able to come out and see you again. I'd be willing to sneak it, if I was left alone long enough but right now it's too risky to leave. I'm so sorry about missing our date. I was really looking forward to seeing you._

 _As for the horse thing - I think Nabooru is right. The postman would've had a hard time delivering THAT to my house. I don't want him to resent me, because then my mail might mysteriously "disappear." Or, at least arrive late, or all crinkled up. I'll let you know as soon as I'm not grounded anymore._

 _I miss you,_

 _Rabia_

This letter was obviously written after her birthday, intended to be mailed but forgotten. He smoothed this one out and read through it again, a small smile on his lips. He set it in a third pile with the intention of keeping it. After all, she had written it for him.

 _Dear Ganondorf,_

 _Kaikoura, Zelda, Sheik, and Link came by today and dragged me out to play in the snow in Hyrule Field. I haven't done that since I was 8, I think. It was cold and wet, but we managed to make a huge snowman before we all got too soaked. Zelda had to sit on Link's shoulders to give it a face._

 _We went to Lon Lon Ranch to warm up. I ran into Kabira there, and she didn't seem too happy to see me. I didn't know Malon is her mother! They don't resemble each other much - I think Kabira looks more like you._

 _I still miss you, and I hope we get to see each other soon. I'm allowed to leave my house with supervision - I just have to find a way to give them the slip. Unfortunately, Zelda has been attaching herself to me like glue, and I don't think he realized I noticed it but Link was keeping an annoyingly close watch on me, too. I'll try to see you soon though, I promise._

 _Still missing you,_

 _Rabia_

This letter was smoothed out and added to the first pile. It cleared up why he hadn't received any letters from Rabia recently. If she had been grounded she may not have been allowed out of the house _to_ mail them. He took a deep breath and picked up the next letter. It was getting late, and he still hadn't found anything to cause excessive panic.

 _Dear Ganondorf,_

 _I miss you. Your eyes, your smile, your laugh, your voice, your presence… and I keep writing you letters that I can't send to you but I hope you know that I miss you deeply. It's an ache so deep I feel it in my bones, and I don't think it'll ever go away. My parents still won't allow me to contact you in any way because they feel you're too dangerous._

 _You're not dangerous._

 _Not to me._

 _It's Nayru's Blessing Day and I know I should've told you this back in December at your birthday, but **[s]**_ _I love you **[/s]**_

 _ **[s]** I have feelings for you_ _ **[s]**_

 _ _ **[s]**_ You're everything to me_ _ **[/s]**_

 _ _ **[s]**_ I can't do this without you_ _ **[/s]**_

 _I_ _love_ _you._

 _I also owe you an apology. Against my better judgement and everything I feel for you, I agreed to a dinner date with Finn tonight. I promise, it didn't mean anything to me. At least, I don't think it did. I don't really remember what happened and it's confusing me because there's an empty spot in my memories where this evening should be. All I remember is arriving at his place, waking up on the floor, and walking home. I have new bruises that I have to figure out how to cover up now, too._

 _I'm sorry I betrayed you by going out with him. I should've known better than to go on a date with him. Every time I'm with him he finds a way to hurt me. I know that I've hurt you by going out with him. I'm sorry. I don't love him. I don't like him. I don't want anything to do with him. But I'm afraid, because my parents_ _ **[s]**_ _won't allow me to_ _ **[/s]**_ _don't want me to be with anyone else and I think I might end up stuck with him._

 _I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I'm sorry I betrayed you, I'm sorry I can't come see you, I'm sorry I kept you a secret for so long. Every day I wish I'd stayed in the desert with you instead of coming home. That was the biggest mistake I've ever made._

 _Bi és su n. (1)_

 _Always yours,_

 _Rabia_

He reread this letter, his eyebrows furrowed. He frowned as he read it a third time. He parents had grounded her because of him - because she had kept their relationship a secret. She had agreed to a date with Finn and returned home with injuries. He felt anger well up in his chest. This letter was placed into the second pile.

 _Dear Ganondorf,_

 _I hope to the goddesses you can even read this - I'm writing lefty because_ _ **[s]**_ _Finn_ _ _ **[/s]**_ __I broke my arm today. I used to be lefty when I was little so maybe it'll work out okay. I'm just writing to tell you that I still miss you and that I love you very much. My parents aren't being as overbearing as they were so_ _ **maybe**_ _I can sneak away for a while to visit you. I'm going to hope so anyway. I really want to see you - I feel like part of me is missing._

 _Those blackouts I keep having are getting worse, too. I was hanging out at Sheik's house today with him and Kaikoura and I remember being there and hanging out and heading back to Castle Town, but after entering Castle Town everything is blank. At least until_ _ **[s]**_ _Finn broke my_ _ _ **[/s]**_ __I broke my arm leaving Finn's house. I don't remember going there at all. I barely remember_ _ **seeing**_ _him at all. I don't know how that happened, but it's just getting worse and I'm scared. It's just another reason to try and get away._

 _I miss you._

 _I love you,_

 _Rabia_

This letter joined the others in the second pile. His anger only grew when he managed to decipher the name underneath her scribbles. He was going to _crush_ Finn for what he did.

 _ _ **[s]**_ Darling_ _,_ _ **[/s]**_

 _Dear Ganondorf,_

 _I thought it'd be polite to inform you that my engagement with Finn is back on,_ _ **[s]**_ _I don't know what happened or when I decided this but I don't want to marry him_ _ **please**_ _ **[/s]**_ _and I no longer wish to be in a committed relationship with you._ _ _ **[s]**_ Ignore that, I love you, I don't want anyone else, especially not Finn._ _ **[/s]**_ _We had fun, but Finn is the only one for me. We've been through a lot together and I owe him something for that._ _ **[s]**_ _I don't owe that monster_ _ **anything**_ _after what he did to me oh goddesses I don't know what to do I keep blacking out and I don't remember any of this._ _ **[/s]**_

 _I hope this isn't a disappointment to you, but I thought you knew where we stood._ _ **[s]**_ _We both wanted something that lasted, we were on the same page I don't know why I'm writing this horrible letter to you but I can't stop._ _ _ **[/s]**_ __Send my_ _ _ **[s]**_ love_ _ _ **[/s]**_ __regards to Nabooru, Aveil, and Kamilah._

 _ _ **[s]**_ Love, always,_ _ **[/s]**_

 _Sincerely,_

 _ _ **[s]**_ You_ _ _ **[/s]**_ r __Rabia_

This letter he read several times over. Once he finally deciphered words through the scribbles, he stood from his desk. Rabia _wasn't_ okay. Rabia had blatantly stated that Finn had physically harmed her, and yet she got back with him anyway. The writing was disjointed, confused, and conflicted, and it was clear Rabia was being influenced by something she couldn't fight. Ganondorf called in a servant.

"Send our fastest rider to Hyrule Castle." He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a piece of paper, scribbling a note onto it. "This must be delivered to Princess Zelda. Make sure whoever you send places this personally into the Princess' hands," Ganondorf said. He folded it up and pressed a wax seal into the back, then handed it off to the servant, who bowed and left. He called in another servant. "Get Nabooru, Aveil, Kamilah, and myself packed. Gather a group of guards and get them packed as well. We will be travelling to Castle Town come morning." He dismissed this servant and stood, then headed up to his bedroom. He didn't sleep all night.

* * *

1\. I love you

OCs: Kamilah (Rabia's mother), Rabia (main character), Finn (Rabia's ex/fiance), Kaikoura (Rabia's BFF/Sheik's BAE),


	30. (you've got the) Demon Eyes

Rabia's friends work to get to the bottom of this mystery.  
Five chapters left, and we're ALMOST at the climax. Are you on the edges of your seats?

* * *

1044 words

(Saturday)

The next morning, Castle Town was in an uproar. The streets were packed even tighter than usual with people trying to glimpse the arrival of King Ganondorf. The crowds were only held back from the castle gates by the Castle Town guards, led by Link. Sheik and Kaikoura were inside the throne room with Princess Zelda, awaiting Ganondorf's arrival. Finally, the King and his entourage arrived. They passed through the streets with their own guards, including Kamilah. The group dismounted at the gate. Half of the Gerudo Guards took position with the Hylian Soldiers at the gates; Ganondorf and Nabooru were led inside.

"Princess Zelda, it is wonderful to see you again," Ganondorf said. He approached the throne and got down on one knee, bowing low. Nabooru followed suit.

"King Ganondorf," Princess Zelda said with a polite nod. "What brings you back to my throne room? Your message said something about trade agreements, but there was a lot of haste for such a small matter." Ganondorf straightened up and offered Nabooru a hand before turning to the Princess.

"I have some personal matters to attend to here as well," Ganondorf said. Zelda eyed him suspiciously, but he didn't elaborate.

"Well, let's go to my study. It will be more comfortable to work out trade agreements in there," she said. "Sheik, would you show them the way? I have to catch up with Link for a moment." Sheik stepped out of the shadows and nodded, then led the Gerudo deeper into the castle. Zelda waved Link into the room.

"Princess," Link bowed. "Is there anything you require?" Zelda glanced around, then moved closer to him to whisper in his ear.

"Do me a favor - keep Rabia occupied while he's in town, okay?" she asked. Link paled.

"Me? She _hates_ me," he said back.

"She doesn't _hate_ you. She just likes messing with you. I'd ask Kaikoura but they're fighting right now and I need Sheik here with me. _Please?"_ She gave him puppy eyes.

"Alright, alright. I'll leave Leon in charge. Be careful." Link pressed a kiss to her cheek, then slipped out of the castle.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Link made his way through Castle Town quickly. He knew all the shortcuts to get wherever he wanted to go and made use of them to avoid the thick crowds that tended to fill the streets on the weekend. It was especially useful with the extra-large crowds today. Soon, he was out of the thick of things and made his way to Rabia's house. It was still early so he hesitated before knocking on the door. After a moment, the door was pulled open.

"Oh, hello Link!" Rabia beamed at him and stepped aside. "Would you like to come in?" Link looked at her hesitantly. He wasn't used to such a warm greeting from her so he cautiously entered the house. "We just finished breakfast, but I can grab you something if you're hungry," Rabia offered. She was still smiling. Link was unnerved.

"No thanks, I've already eaten." It wasn't a lie, but it was painful for him to turn down free food. Rabia shrugged, led him into the living room and settled onto the couch beside him.

"So, what brings you here?" she asked.

"Well, Zelda is busy today with Sheik, and Kaikoura had plans, so I thought maybe you'd want to hang out?" he asked.

"That sounds great! What'd you have in mind?" Rabia tilted her head. Link stared at her, wide-eyed. "...Link? Are you okay?" she waved a hand in front of his face. "Link?" He shook his head to snap out of it.

"Sorry, sorry, zoned out for a second. How about… ice skating…?" he asked.

"That sounds like fun! Are we going now?" Rabia asked him.

"Yeah, I'm ready when you are," he nodded.

"Let me just grab my coat. We're going to have to share a horse, though. I can't really ride with the cast," she said.

"No problem. I'll get Duke ready and meet you outside," Link said. Rabia nodded and headed upstairs. He stepped back out the front door and entered the stable. By the time Duke was saddled up and ready to go, Rabia had joined them. Link mounted the horse once Rabia was settled and they headed to the skating rink. Neither of them noticed the small group of women trailing them.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

"Is that them?" Vésλeλu whispered and looked at Aveil. Aveil stood on her tiptoes to see over Kamilah's head.

"Yeah, it's definitely them," she said. Rabia was easy to spot in Castle Town with her red hair and dark skin; Link was distinctive in his own way. Together they stood out even more. Kamilah hushed them.

"I want to get closer so we can hear what they're saying," she said lowly. "I'll take point. Λume, Aveil, Vésλeλu, cover me." Aveil rolled her eyes.

"It won't be the end of the world if they see us, Kamilah," she said. "We're wearing these huge coats. If we cover our faces with our scarves they won't recognize us at all." Kamilah paused.

"You're right." She pulled her scarf up over her nose and tucked her recognizable red hair under her hat. She waited until the others followed suit, then led them into the rink. They settled at one of the nearby tables with some hot cocoa to watch. Link and Rabia were skating side-by-side, chatting amicably.

"See, that right there _is_ weird," Aveil said. "She's hanging out with Link _and_ being friendly." She shook her head. Kamilah hushed her as Rabia and Link came back around. "But it's not really weird enough to come to Hyrule in the dead of winter," she said. "I like her necklace, though. Sapphires are my favorite. Do you think she'd let me borrow it?" Kamilah's eyes narrowed and she leaned forward, watching them closely. "Though I don't think sapphires normally glow, do they?"

"...Why are her eyes blue?" she asked. "Her eyes aren't blue."

"Huh. Weird." Aveil tilted her head. "Maybe she just wanted contacts so they'd match her necklace! I mean that's kind of extreme for outfit matching, but maybe that's her thing." Kamilah sighed and gave her a look, then stood.

"We have to get back, anyway," she said. "Come on."

* * *

OCs: Kamilah (Gerudo guard, Rabia's mother), Leon (a Hylian guard), Rabia (main character, Ganondorf's bae), Duke (Rabia's horse), Vésλeλu (a Gerudo guard)


	31. (this is a) Call to Arms

**(this is a) Call to Arms**

Ganondorf pays the wind mage a visit

792 words

* * *

(Sunday - March 1st)

The door to the throne room was thrown open and Ganondorf strode inside, flanked by Nabooru, Aveil, and Kamilah. Zelda and Kaikoura both jumped, startled from their conversation. Link had jumped in front of them, brandishing his sword. The usually unaffected King looked enraged, though it wasn't directed at any of the other occupants. There was also an unusual twist of anxiety about him which was what convinced Link to lower his weapon. Ganondorf approached the throne and swept into a low bow.

"Sorry to interrupt, Princess," he said.

"Ganondorf? What brings you here? Has something happened?" Zelda asked. She descended the dais steps and placed a hand on his shoulder. Kaikoura was staring at him distrustfully, eyes flickering between Ganondorf and his two guards. Ganondorf straightened stiffly.

"I'm worried about Rabia," Ganondorf stated. "Have any of you noticed her acting strange, lately?"

"Yeah, if you can call it 'strange'," Kaikoura scoffed.

"She _was_ being nice to me yesterday…" Link trailed off. "It was horrifying." Zelda and Kaikoura shared a look at this news.

"She's been acting extra weird ever since she... got back with Finn," Zelda said. "Which in itself was weird because she _despises_ him." Ganondorf took a deep breath and his hands balled into fists.

"Where did she get that necklace?" His voice was eerily calm.

"...What necklace?" Zelda asked.

"The one with the huge sapphire," Aveil said. Zelda stared at her.

"Didn't I ban you from the castle for stealing?" she asked.

"This is more important than stealing!" Aveil cried. "Her necklace GLOWS and it's CREEPY!" Zelda jumped at the outburst.

"Okay, um… It was gifted to her by Lord Vaati for her birthday, right?" Zelda glanced to Kaikoura, who nodded.

"Yeah, Lord Vaati," Kaikoura agreed.

"The wind mage?" Ganondorf growled. "Thank you for your time, Princess, Kaikoura." He bowed to each of them before then swept out of the throne room. Link let out a breath of relief when the doors slammed shut.

"I thought he was going to kill someone," Link said.

"He seemed… worried," Zelda replied. "Just be glad you aren't Lord Vaati."

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

Vaati shrunk back as Ganondorf towered over him. The smaller man was shaking at the force of Ganondorf's wrath. Ganondorf grabbed Vaati by the front of his tunic and lifted him up so they were eye-to-eye.

"What did you do to Rabia?" he growled. "Answer me!" He shook Vaati.

"I-I haven't done anything!" Vaati squeaked. "I haven't seen her since her party, I swear!"

"Don't _lie_ to me," Ganondorf hissed. "I know you gave her that necklace. What did you _do?!"_

"The necklace…?" Vaati asked. "Oh… oh dear. Finn sold me that necklace to give to her. But it wasn't enchanted or anything when I gave it to her! At least… not that I could detect." Ganondorf released Vaati, who stumbled.

"You did not give that to her with the intention to harm her?" he asked. Vaati shook his head.

"No, no! I didn't realize it was dangerous - I would've never given it to her if I had known!" Vaati said. "Finn didn't seem like a bad guy…" he chewed his lip.

"So, he used you. Why would he use _you_?" Ganondorf asked.

"W-Well… I was her fake boyfriend - she'd tell people she was coming to see me when she went to see you, and I'd cover for her. _She_ was using me, not Finn!" Vaati exclaimed. Ganondorf raised an eyebrow.

"Why were you covering for her? What did you get out of it?"

"Well… the pleasure of her company, of course!" Vaati said indignantly.

"You were hoping that eventually she would leave me for you," Ganondorf said. "You were trying to win her over. Why would she want a puny, pathetic little man like you?"

"I was EXPECTING that she would come to her senses and leave the guy who murdered her best friend's father in cold blood!" Vaati bristled. " _Nobody_ deserves to be tied to _you_ , Dragmire!" He gulped and all his bravado left him as Ganondorf wrapped a hand around his throat.

"You are a fool, wind mage," Ganondorf hissed. "Stay away from Rabia, or I will kill you."

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

He arrived back in Castle Town at sunset and made his way back to the throne room. Zelda was just finishing with another guest when he walked in.

"King Ganondorf. I trust you've found your answers?" she asked.

"Not all," he answered. "Where can I find this Lord Finn?" he spat out the name like it was vile. Zelda eyed him warily.

"I can summon Lord Finn to the castle in the morning. For now, perhaps you should retire for the evening to… cool down," she said. Ganondorf nodded stiffly and accepted the dismissal for what it was.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae); Finn (Rabia's ex/current fiance)


	32. (warm me up) Breathe Me

(warm me up) Breathe Me

Gideon finally reveals himself and the full extent of his meddling

2766 words

* * *

~Monday Morning~

The next morning, a messenger from the castle was sent to Finn's house to retrieve him. Rabia had stayed in one of the guest bedrooms for the night, and insisted on going with Finn to the castle to answer his summons. Gideon dogged their shadows the whole ride into the castle; just a moment alone with Zelda would be enough to strike. His heart sang at the thought of spilling the princess's blood, but he kept himself quiet and hidden.

The messenger led Finn and Rabia into the throne room with a bow, and the doors slammed behind them. Princess Zelda was sitting regally in her throne, Link standing to her right. Sheik stood on Zelda's other side, between her and Kaikoura. Ganondorf, flanked by Kamilah was in front of the dais steps, facing Finn. With his cape fluttering behind him dramatically and the jewels of his crown gleaming in the sunlight, Ganondorf cut an imposing figure. Finn, undeterred, approached the dais and swooped into a low bow before Zelda; Rabia followed suit beside him. Ganondorf eyed Rabia's shadow apprehensively as it shifted despite Rabia's stillness.

"You summoned me, Princess?" he asked

"I did," Zelda stated. Finn straightened. "I summoned you at the request of King Ganondorf," she said with a gesture to Ganondorf. "He has some questions that need answers, and it seems you're the one who can answer them." Finn gave a slight bow of his head to Ganondorf.

"I'd be happy to assist you in any way I can," he said. Ganondorf gave him a cold smile and stepped closer to him and Rabia.

"The other day I was seeking council with the wind mage about a most peculiar artifact, but he referred me to your expertise," Ganondorf said. He reached towards Rabia, who flinched and took a step back. Undeterred, Ganondorf gently caught her wrists and pulled her closer. As he removed the necklace, the stone stopped glowing and rested innocently in his palm. Rabia's skin turned an ashen blue-grey and her hair black, though her sapphire eyes remained unchanged. Ganondorf's eyes darkened and he stepped towards Finn menacingly. Finn was stuttering out excuses and lies as fast as he could think them.

"Oh my goddesses, Rabia!" Zelda cried. She went to run to her friend, but suddenly chains sprouted up from the floor and wrapped around her body.

"Don't move," Rabia said to Zelda. She was grasping a cruel looking sword that should have been too large for her, but she didn't seem to have any trouble wielding it.

"Rabia…" Link warned as he drew his own weapon. "Drop the sword." His eyes flicked between her and Zelda.

"Hey, watch it!" Finn snapped. "No one threatens her but me!" Ganondorf growled and reached for his weapon, but faltered when Rabia spoke.

"Oh, do shut up, you useless worm," she said in disgust. She shoved Finn aside roughly and snapped her fingers. Dozens of dark, twisted figures materialized from the shadows of the room. The monsters resembled their friends and loved ones, but with bulging eyes and faces twisted in pain. They started to close in on Link and Sheik, who had moved toward Zelda to protect her. "Just stay _out of my way!_ " The shadow monsters parted as Rabia moved towards Zelda. Ganondorf and Aveil were fighting through crowds of the beasts. Kamilah broke through the wall separating them from Rabia and intercepted her.

"Rabia, snap out of it!" Kamilah said. "This isn't like you! Zelda is your _friend._ " Rabia smiled cruelly.

"You may be my mother, but you don't know me," she hissed. "I will not stop until I spill every. Last. Drop. Of her blood." Kamilah didn't flinch or hesitate. She crouched into a fighting stance and the two circled each other. Rabia struck first. Kamilah blocked the blow and soon they were fighting in a blur of clashing steel, feet moving in a perfectly timed dance. In one smooth move, Kamilah twisted Rabia's blade out of her hand and it fell to the floor with a clatter. Rabia growled low in her throat and lunged at Kamilah.

Ganondorf finally broke through the crowd and ran over as Rabia lunged. Kamilah caught Rabia by the throat and held her at arms' length. She was about to bring the pommel of her sword down on Rabia's head when Ganondorf caught her arm.

"Stop!" he said. "Hold her still." Rabia kicked and scratched at Kamilah as she struggled to twist out of her grip. Ganondorf waited for a moment, then suddenly reached into the floor. Gideon let out a scream of rage that shook the foundations of the room as his hulking form was ripped from Rabia's shadow. Rabia collapsed like a puppet with cut strings. Kamilah lowered her to the floor gently, then ran over to assist Sheik and Link. Gideon glared at Ganondorf, seething with rage.

"I've been waiting a long time for this, Desert King," he hissed. "I _will_ kill the princess, Rabia _will_ be mine, and you will NOT STAND IN MY WAY!" he screamed. Ganondorf stood in front of Rabia protectively. "If you fight for her, you will die for her." Ganondorf stared Gideon down. Gideon chuckled. "So be it."

The room was alight with the sounds of swords clashing, but as one minion was taken down, another was in its place. Sheik and Link were growing tired and Kamilah would soon follow. Similar sounds from the hallway indicated that the Hylian soldiers were also fighting Gideon's monsters and were unable to break through.

Finn managed to crawl away from the fight and was trying to sneak out of the throne room. Kaikoura, from her spot along the wall, had noticed him trying to escape and cut him off. She blocked the only exit not overrun with monsters as he approached.

"I've been waiting to kick your ass for a long _, long_ time, Finn," Kaikoura said with a grin. Finn started laughing.

"Yeah, okay Kaikoura," he rolled his eyes. "Now, are you going to move, or do I have to move you?" He chuckled to himself, amused by his own joke. Kaikoura's blood boiled in rage and she punched him in the nose, taking him by surprise. He stared at her, wide-eyed, for a moment, then tried to punch her back. Luckily, Sheik had trained Kaikoura in basic hand-to-hand, so she was able to dodge his attack. Unlike Sheik, Kaikoura fought dirty. She knew Finn only fought by the rules and used it against him. She knocked him on his ass in a matter of minutes. Once she was certain he was unconscious, she joined Sheik, Link, and Kamilah, who were trying to protect Zelda.

Ganondorf and Gideon were hurling orbs of magic at each other, some light but most dark, and had abandoned their weapons. Few of Ganondorf's spells managed to hit Gideon and those that did had no effect.

"Give up, rat," Gideon laughed as he shook off another of Ganondorf's spells. "You're not strong enough beat me or to free her!"

"You think so?" Ganondorf asked with a grin. He muttered under his breath in an ancient, evil language that seemed to dim the room. The orb he summoned was made of magic so dark it resembled a black hole. He topped off the spell with a simple phrase. " _Tenebras expello_." The orb hit Gideon straight in the chest, only this time he couldn't shake it off. Black flames enveloped Gideon's frame and with an anguished scream, he dissolved into dark black smoke. His minions vanished, as did Zelda's chains. Link caught her before she hit the ground while Zelda caught her breath. A quiet ringing sound faded out and the room fell silent.

"Are you okay?" Link asked. He stroked Zelda's hair back from her face.

"Yeah," Zelda said. She grimaced and rubbed her ribs. "The chains _squeezed_. I'm fine. Thank you," she kissed his cheek. Link stood and helped her up. Kaikoura and Sheik had stepped away during their moment. Kaikoura was patching up some cuts on Sheik's arms, while he placed a butterfly bandage over a long scratch on her cheek.

Ganondorf reached Rabia in two large strides and knelt beside her. Kamilah was already there with Rabia's head in her lap. She was running her fingers through Rabia's hair, which, along with her skin, had returned to its natural hue. Ganondorf tapped her cheek gently.

"Rabia? Sa mewadaλa(1), wake up," he said. Her eyelids fluttered and she blinked awake. Ganondorf found himself looking into her amber eyes and let out a sigh of relief. He pulled Rabia out of Kamilah's lap and brought her into a warm embrace. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"...Ganondorf." The tenseness in Rabia's frame flowed out of her as she returned his embrace and buried her face into his shoulder. "I missed you."

"Hey!" Kaikoura snapped suddenly, pointing to Finn. Everyone in the room jumped and turned. Finn had woken and was once again trying to sneak out while everyone was distracted. He froze when all everyone's attention was on him.

"U-Uh… I was just…" Finn started.

"Lord Finn, do you know what the punishment is for treason?" Zelda asked as she stared down at him impassively.

"Treason?! I've committed no treason!" Finn cried. "That _monster_ threatened me! Isn't that right, Rabia?" he stepped towards her and she flinched back violently, her face pale.

" _Do not speak to her_ ," Ganondorf growled, but he was quelled by a look from Zelda.

"Link, please escort Lord Finn to the dungeons to await his trial and sentencing for treason and domestic abuse," Zelda said. Link seized Finn by the arm, and Kamilah grabbed the other. Though Finn struggled, they were much stronger than he and easily hauled him out of the throne room. The door closed with a heavy sort of finality. Zelda let out a tired sounding sigh after they left, then turned to Ganondorf.

"We owe you our thanks," Zelda said, bowing to him. "You saved us all from that monster. We are in your debt."

"I didn't do it for you," Ganondorf said.

"Even so, you have our gratitude," Zelda replied. Ganondorf nodded in acknowledgement.

"Guys? What's going on?" Rabia asked. "Why are we in the castle?" There was a silence.

"You were under some sort of spell, Rabia," Sheik said gently. "Whatever it was, it messed with your memory."

"It was some sort of mind control thing," Kaikoura said. "It was making you act really weird - like, you got back with FINN. I'm sorry I stopped talking to you, by the way. If I'd known you were be-"

"EWW WHAT?!" Rabia shrieked and jumped up from the ground. She wobbled dangerously until Ganondorf wrapped an arm around her waist. "Oh my goddesses, I think I'm going to be _sick_." She pushed Ganondorf away and ran to the powder room across the hall.

Rabia turned on the sink and splashed her face with water a few times. She braced her arms on the counter, closed her eyes, and took several deep, measured breaths. She turned the water off after a moment and patted her face dry with a nearby towel. A yellow-green, week-old bruise mottled one of her cheeks; a darker, newer one circled her neck. She couldn't remember when she had gotten either of them. She let out a heavy sigh and returned to the throne room where her friends were talking quietly amongst each other.

"How can she testify against Finn if she can't remember anything? And even if she can, who says the memories will even be coherent enough to use as evidence?" Link's voice trailed out the open door. Kaikoura's followed in a growl.

"The bruises are enough to imprison him! Did you _see_ her face?"

"He will be imprisoned no matter what - he plotted to kill me," Zelda answered. "All of you are witnesses and can at least attest to _that_ ," she said, her voice calm as ever.

"That's not _enough!_ " Ganondorf roared. "He turned her into a - a _puppet!_ "

"That necklace held the spell, did it not?" Sheik asked. "Surely it's still enchanted. Even if it's not, Rabia will still hold traces of a spell that strong for weeks to come. That is enough evide-" Rabia pushed the door open and slipped into the room. Sheik immediately cut himself off when he spotted her.

"I don't want to be at his trial," she said quietly. Zelda looked at her friend and her eyes softened from their angry glare.

"We'll talk about this later," Zelda said. "We need to get you home. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine… I just stood up too fast," Rabia said. "I can't go home like this… everyone would freak out. What would I even tell them?"

"...The truth?" Link offered.

"That's easy for you to say," Rabia snapped at him.

"Do you want to stay here?" Zelda asked, placing a hand on Rabia's arm. Rabia ducked away from her and shook her head.

"No. No, I don't want to stay here," she answered and stepped back from her friend. Sheik caught Zelda's arm before she could follow and Rabia gave him a grateful look.

"You can always stay with me," Kaikoura offered. Rabia shook her head.

"Your dad would tell my dad as soon as I walked in the door," Rabia said.

"No, I meant at our house," she said with a glance to Sheik. "We have an extra bedroom and Kakariko village isn't that far."

"You'd let me stay with you?" Rabia asked.

"Of course we will," Kaikoura said. "Besides, I kind of owe you since I stopped talking to you when you needed help…" she trailed off and looked down at her feet.

"Thanks, Kaik," Rabia said with relief. "For the record, I wouldn't have talked to me either."

"Right?!" Kaikoura said.

"It's a good thing Ganondorf noticed something was wrong," Zelda added. "He saved us all and broke the spell."

"That's some serious Disney shit," Kaikoura muttered under her breath, but nobody seemed to hear her.

"You did?" Rabia asked, turning to Ganondorf.

"Of course I did," Ganondorf answered. "I love you." Rabia pulled him into a kiss and he swept her up into his arms.

"Eww, seriously?" Link said, disgusted. Rabia flipped him off, not breaking the kiss until Ganondorf reluctantly released her.

"You should… you should get some rest," Ganondorf said. "Is it alright if I accompany the three of you? I'd… feel better if I knew she got there safely."

"Um… Yeah, okay," Kaikoura answered.

"I'll see you all in a couple days for Finn's trial," Zelda said. "Have a good night, okay?" She waved the four of them off as they left the castle.

~ VAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTTVAATISPURPLEBUTT ~

The trip to Kakariko Village was short and silent. They were fortunate not to run into anyone they knew as they left Castle Town together. Sheik and Kaikoura led the way on their horses, but occasionally sent worried glances back to Rabia. She was settled in front of Ganondorf on his horse, and looked a little pale. They arrived a charming house shortly after arriving in Kakariko.

"Here we are," Kaikoura said as she dismounted. Sheik took the horses to the small barn. Kaikoura followed him through the front gate and led Rabia and Ganondorf up to the porch. She pretended to hunt for her house key off while Ganondorf pulled Rabia into another embrace.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said as he brushed a soft kiss against her unbruised cheek. Rabia stood on her toes to press her face into the crook of his neck and held onto him tight.

"Okay," she said. She kissed him gently, then let him go. Slowly, Ganondorf walked back up the path and latched the gate behind him.

"Aha! Found it," Kaikoura said as Sheik came around. She unlocked the door and the three of them went inside. "Are you guys hungry? I'm starving," Kaikoura said. Kaikoura's cat, Clarice, looked at them with disinterest, then hopped lightly off the couch and stalked down the hallway away from the commotion.

"I think all we have right now is spaghetti…" Sheik said thoughtfully. Rabia trailed behind them slowly as they moved towards the kitchen, chatting. "Actually, Kaik, could you put the water on? I'm going to show Rabia to the guest room. She looks dead on her feet."

"Sure," Kaikoura shrugged. "We'll save some for you!" she added to Rabia. Sheik herded Rabia down the hall to the guest room and pushed the door open.

"Try to sleep, okay? We'll figure things out tomorrow," he said. Rabia nodded absentmindedly. After a moment's hesitation, Sheik closed the door behind him. Rabia crossed the room to the wide window and pulled the curtains shut, then clambered into bed.

* * *

All Gerudo language belongs to gerudoshikyapril on Tumblr!

1\. My sandflower (a term of endearment)

OCs: Rabia (main character/Ganondorf's bae); Finn (Rabia's ex); Kamilah (Rabia's birth mother); Gideon (demon/main antagonist); Kaikoura (Rabia and Zelda's BFF; Sheik's bae)


	33. You Don't Own Me (don't try to change me

You Don't Own Me (don't try to change me)

A trip to Finn's house

2228 words

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~Tuesday~

A knock on the door startled Rabia awake. The clock said it was nine o'clock, which was unusually late for her. She sat up as Kaikoura poked her head in, looking apologetic.

"Hey, sorry. Ganondorf is here. We should probably get going soon," she said.

"Going…?" Rabia stretched and stood up. She frowned at her bedhead in the mirror above the dresser. "Do you have a hair tie?" Kaikoura pulled a hair tie off her wrist and tossed it to Rabia.

"Yeah, come on. There's some cereal with your name on it," she added. Rabia pulled her hair back into a messy bun and followed Kaikoura to the living room. Ganondorf was sitting on the loveseat drinking a cup of tea and chatting with Sheik. He smiled and stood when Rabia entered. He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head.

"Good morning," he said.

"Hi," she mumbled tiredly. Kaikoura handed her a bowl of cereal and plopped down onto the couch beside Sheik.

"So Sheik and I were talking last night - we think it's probably a good idea to go to Finn's place today to get Duke and whatever clothes and stuff you have there. It's not like he'll be coming back and it'll be easier to get those clothes than to try and sneak into your house," Kaikoura said.

"Finn's house?" Rabia asked. She stirred her cereal slowly, her brow furrowed. "...Do we have to?"

"You'll have to eventually. Might as well rip it off like a bandaid. Then after his trial you'll never have to think about him again," Kaikoura said. Rabia's frown eased as she thought, then she nodded.

"You're right. Might as well do it now."

After washing the dishes, the four of them headed back towards Castle Town. The roads were covered in slush instead of ice, but it made the roads even more treacherous. Though temperatures were warming up enough to allow the beginnings of a slow, unsteady melt, it was still cold enough to bundle up in layers. Rabia hid most of her bruises with a thick scarf and the group got through the town without any strange looks or questions.

The mansion was silent and still as the group approached the iron gates. There were no servants in the yard and it was clear from the dark windows that no one was inside either. The four of them dismounted as Rabia closed the gate behind them with a clang.

"Come on, the stables are over here," she said. She led them around the side of the mansion. There were two stables with three stalls that faced each other. Between them was a covered courtyard that housed an opulent carriage. All of the horses in the stable were white, save for one.

"Duke!" Rabia smiled and ran over to let him out. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. Duke snorted and tossed his head, then gave her a nuzzle. "I missed you too, buddy," she pat his nose. Duke trotted out of the stall and started frolicking in the snow.

"He seems happy," Kaikoura said.

"Yeah, he's been cooped up for a while," Rabia answered. "The whole yard is fenced if you want to let the horses play," she added. The others shrugged and removed their horses' bridles. Rabia grabbed a couple bags, then led everyone inside.

"Holy shit, even his _house_ is douchey," Kaikoura said in as they entered the foyer.

"Yeah, but the basement has a terrible echo. You'd think the place would be sound proofed," Rabia said absentmindedly. "We might as well start upstairs and make our way down. I have stuff everywhere." She led them up the main staircase and into a study on the second floor. She opened a door on the far wall and let them up the spiral staircase of one of the towers.

"Seriously. _So douchey._ " Kaikoura said. "You wouldn't even need a gym in this place - just trying to get from one end to another is a workout." Ganondorf snorted and Sheik shook his head. Rabia laughed.

They finally reached the next landing. Rabia pushed open the door into room with a large fireplace and three sets of French doors leading out to small balconies. There were a couple cozy looking armchairs and a coffee table spread with books. Rabia walked over to the table and started gathering them up.

"These are all yours?" Ganondorf asked as he took the book stack from her arms.

"Yeah. I have more in my room. And the library. I avoided them by… by reading," she shrugged uncomfortably. "No one ever used this tower. I doubt they even knew I was here." Rabia led them back down to the second floor and glanced down the long dark hallway to her left. She barely suppressed a shudder.

"What's down there?" Kaikoura asked, following her gaze.

"Gideon's room," Rabia answered. "Just… wait here. I have to grab something." She walked down the hall hesitantly and pushed open Gideon's door with a creak. The plants seemed to reach out to her as she entered, overgrown as they were. She picked her way through the foliage cautiously. Every corner she rounded, she half expected to see Gideon appear through the leaves. Her heart beat wildly in her chest as she made her way towards the other end of the room. She picked up a rose shaped, gold ring off of a table laden with gardening tools, then quickly made her way back out of the horrible garden. Rabia slammed the door shut behind her sharply and leaned against it as she caught her breath.

"Rabia?" She opened her eyes and looked up into Ganondorf's face. She was on the floor, leaning against Gideon's door, and she wasn't quite sure how she got there. "Rabia, are you okay?" Ganondorf asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm great," she shook her head and accepted his hand up. "Sorry. Come on, I have to grab my clothes and makeup…" She slid the ring onto her finger, then led her friends back down the hall. Rabia pushed open one of the bedroom doors and threw open the closet. She had left about half of her clothes at Finn's house, but it barely took up any space in the closet. Kaikoura followed her in and whistled.

"Damn. A girl could get used to a closet this big," she said. "Why do you have a sleeping bag in here?" She opened a new bag and helped Rabia shove everything inside.

"The mattress is too squishy and this floor is carpeted," Rabia answered with a shrug. Kaikoura didn't miss the uneasy glance she gave the large window.

"Hey, Rabia? What's down here?" Ganondorf called to her. He had opened up the door across from the closet and found another hidden spiral staircase.

"Um, nothing!" Rabia called. She stepped out of the closet and pushed the door closed. "I'm just going to grab my makeup from the bathroom. I'll be right back." She brushed past Ganondorf into the bathroom and started gathering up her things. Kaikoura glanced around Ganondorf's bulk and eased the door back open.

"...Anyone wanna explore?" she asked as she started down the stairs. Ganondorf looked over his shoulder to make sure Rabia was occupied, then followed her swiftly.

"Hey, wait…!" Sheik called after them, but he was ignored.

At the bottom of the stairs, Ganondorf pushed open another door to an overly large bathroom. He looked down at Kaikoura, who was staring up at him with an equally incredulous expression.

"Why the hell would someone put stairs here?" she asked. Ganondorf shrugged. The two stepped out into the bathroom and poked around. There was a long hallway that led to a closet, and then a grandiose bedroom. "Oh no… you don't think this is…?" she poked her head out the doorway and found her way back to the main stairs. "Oh eww! This is Finn's room, what the hell?!" She walked back into the bedroom, disgusted. Ganondorf had opened a side door in the bedroom and found yet another spiral staircase.

"Where do you think this one goes?" he asked Kaikoura as she peeked around him.

"Somewhere creepy," she grumbled, but followed him up the stairs anyway. They found themselves in another tower. There were windows all around it and they could clearly see Sheik and Rabia chatting on the bed in her bedroom. "This is horrifying. Why did I follow you?!" Kaikoura asked Ganondorf accusingly.

"You're the one who wanted to explore," he responded.

"I hope they didn't like, spy on her or anything from here…" Kaikoura said with a shudder. Ganondorf didn't respond; his jaw was clenched. They found their way back to the main staircase and to Rabia's bedroom.

"Where'd you guys go?" Sheik asked as he helped finish packing up the last of Rabia's bedroom things.

"That staircase goes to _Finn's bedroom_ ," Kaikoura said. "He had another one just like it that goes to that tower." She pointed to the tower clearly visible through the window. "How creepy is that?!" she asked. Rabia glanced back towards the tower, almost expecting to see glowing blue eyes looking back at her. She shook her head.

"...Let's, uh… let's go grab my flute, and the rest of my books." She shouldered the bag Sheik had just zipped up. Ganondorf grabbed the bag of books and Rabia led them down to the basement. The bottom of the main staircase opened up directly into the theater. Rabia headed straight for the stage where the flute was sitting on its stand. She sat down on the edge of the stage and opened her flute case, then started disassembling the instrument.

"You know what's weird?" she asked as she swabbed out the headjoint. "This room feels so familiar, but I don't remember ever being in it. Like, I know how sound projects in here and how hot the stage lights get after an hour, but I don't remember _playing_ in here," she trailed off as she snapped the case shut.

"Can you still play?" Ganondorf asked, gesturing to her cast.

"No," she said. He looked at her, alarmed. "Not until it's healed!" she added hastily. "I can't bend my arm to hold it right with the cast. I tried," she shrugged. "I think I have a few more books in the library, and then we can get out of here." She stood and led them back upstairs.

The library was as lavishly decorated as the rest of the house. Aside from the large fireplace, the walls were taken up by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves stuffed full of leather bound books. There were more comfy armchairs and some comfy sofas, a coffee table laden with more of Rabia's books, and a few desks.

"Look at all these books," Sheik breathed. "They must have cost a fortune." Rabia snorted.

"Pick one up, take a look," she said. She seemed amused as Sheik reached up and grabbed a large tome. He frowned when it felt unnaturally light in his hands. "They're all fake. Every single one of these books is made of cardboard." She finished stacking hers into the bag Ganondorf was holding.

"That must make it easy to find yours, then," Kaikoura laughed.

"Yeah. At least in here. He has a landing above the offices that have all his real ones. He just uses this room to impress people," Rabia rolled her eyes. Kaikoura dragged her finger along the spines of a few books along the wall.

"They're pretty convincing fakes, though," Kaikoura said. She grabbed one and nearly dropped it on her foot under the weight. "Hey! This one is real."

"Weird…" Rabia walked over to her and picked it up off the floor just as two of the narrow shelves opened up towards them. "A door? A secret library door. How tacky can he get, for the love of…" she trailed off as she peeked into the room beyond. It was another office, but unlike the others, this one was a mess of papers and books. Clearly, it was well used. "So _this_ is where he disappeared to," Rabia hummed. She stepped into the room curiously, the others not far behind. Ganondorf walked over to Finn's desk and started rifling through his papers.

"Hey, come look at these," Ganondorf said. Rabia walked over and took the offered pages. One of them, written on parchment paper in superfluous penmanship, was clearly a contract of some sort, though it was in a language Rabia couldn't read. The other was a copy of Finn's parents' will.

"He would only get his inheritance if he married you?" Kaikoura read over Rabia's shoulder.

"Yeah," Rabia said. "He told me that the first time he… well, never mind. Everything here belongs to his parents," she said. "Actually, we're lucky we're even in here. As soon as they hear about this, I'm sure everything will be cleared out of here." Ganondorf plucked the papers out of her hands and rolled them up with several others, then stuck them into one of her bags.

"Evidence," Ganondorf said at her confused expression. "For the trial tomorrow."

"Ah," Rabia said. "Okay, well, I think we can go now. I've got everything." The four of them walked back out to the stables, mounted their horses, and headed back to Kakariko Village.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (main character, Ganondorf's bae); Kaikoura (Rabia's BFF, Sheik's bae)


	34. I'll Bring Thunder (I'll Bring Rain)

I'll Bring Thunder (I'll bring rain)

One more chapter to this story to go! Don't worry - Part Two will be here soon! Until then, I'll be posting a small 6(ish?) chapter intermission :)

1553 words

* * *

~ Wednesday ~

"Finn Herrington, you are here today for charges of treason against the crown, abuse of magic, consorting with a demon, and domestic abuse," Zelda's voice rang out over the congregation from where she sat on her throne. Finn was in chains, kneeling before her, with Link standing by his side. Several other guards flanked Zelda and guarded the perimeter of the room. "We have evidence, including the demon's contract with your signature, a verified copy of your parents' will, an enchanted sapphire necklace, Ms. Rabia Henderson, and the accounts of several eye witnesses. Do you deny these charges?"

"Yes," Finn growled, as he struggled to his feet. "Who are these witnesses? How do you know they aren't lying?!"

"They are protected under the law - I cannot give their names. You know this," Zelda stated. "They have been questioned by myself, the captain of the guard, and several high members of court, and their stories remained consistent." Finn scowled.

"How, exactly, does your evidence _prove_ my guilt?"

"I'm glad you asked," Zelda smiled. "First, King Dragmire and several of my court translators looked over this document," she held out the contract. "A notary verified your signature at the bottom. This document states that Mr. Herrington would receive Ms. Henderson's hand in marriage in return for his soul and eternal servitude to the demon, Gideon. This servitude would involve, but not be limited to, the termination of Princess Zelda of Hyrule, and that the agreement is matrimonially binding, meaning that once Mr. Herrington married Ms. Henderson, her soul and servitude would _also_ be owed to the demon, Gideon," Zelda stated.

"How do you know _he_ wasn't lying?!" Finn pointed at Ganondorf. "He's always had it out for me, and he's a notorious liar!"

"All four of my court translators agreed with King Dragmire's translation," Zelda stated, as she set the document aside. "Next, circumstantial evidence that may indicate why Mr. Herrington went to such lengths. His parents' will states that Mr. Herrington will not receive his inheritance unless he marries Ms. Rabia Henderson. This document was reviewed by the notaries and is an official copy of the will as it stands today," Zelda said. She set that paper aside also. "Just from these two documents alone, Mr. Herrington, there is enough evidence to convict you of treason against the crown, and consorting with demons."

"Those papers were obtained from my residence illegally!" Finn accused. "There was no search warrant issued, that's breaking and entering!"

"Rabia was living in your mansion at the time. She had the right to enter your mansion and retrieve her belongings," Zelda said. "As she had the right to enter, there was no illegal activity involved in obtaining these documents. Now, court sorcerer, if you'd step forward, please," Princess Zelda stated. A tall, lanky, elderly man stepped forward with a deep bow to Princess Zelda. He was holding a small pillow, on which held a delicate silver necklace with a deep sapphire stone. "Please describe the magic used on this necklace," Zelda asked.

"I, and several others, have spent hours scouring our books and trying to discover what this spell was. It took some time, but we finally uncovered an ancient book that described the very spell we found within this stone. It's very dark, very old magic, seen only once before in our court. The spell in this stone turns the wearer into a puppet for the caster. There was also a glamour charm, likely used to hide the physical effects of the original spell," the sorcerer explained. "Horrible magic with vast consequences to the caster. Only a demon could cast it and come out unscathed."

"This necklace was given to Ms. Henderson by Lord Vaati for her birthday. Lord Vaati was unaware of the magic imbued in it when he gifted it to her. In fact, he insisted that he purchased the necklace from Mr. Herrington the day before Ms. Henderson's birthday party, at Mr. Herrington's insistence. He provided financial records and several witnesses to attest to this fact," Zelda stated. "We reviewed this evidence yesterday, and found that it is incriminating enough to charge Mr. Herrington with 20 years' time for abuse of magic," she said.

" _Twenty years?!_ " Finn demanded. " _I_ didn't cast that spell! I'm no sorcerer!"

"If you had cast that spell it would have been enough to incarcerate you for life. Assuming you had survived it," Zelda said coolly. "And for the domestic abuse," she continued. "Rabia, will you please tell the court how you broke your arm?" she asked.

"I was playing flute in the theater of Finn's house. He got angry because I was too loud and broke my arm," Rabia said.

" _That's_ a lie!" Finn said. "I never laid a _hand_ on her!"

"And your bruises, what about those?"

"Some were from Finn, some were from Gideon," Rabia said. "The spell messed up my memory so I don't remember specifics, but they weren't accidents."

"Would you relate any other instances of him causing you physical harm?" Zelda asked.

"There was the day Lord Vaati visited me. Finn showed up out of the blue and threatened me, and left a bruise on my arm. On New Year's Eve, he rescued me from a runaway horse, but refused to let me dismount his horse. He bruised my wrists and my ribs. I went on a date with him on Nayru's Blessing Day and went home with half a dozen more bruises," she said. "One around my throat, and another around my upper arm."

"Is this why you left him the first time?" Zelda asked.

"Yes. After we got engaged he started with small things, like occasionally shoving me out of the way or grabbing me a little too hard. It got worse from there. The day I left him, he had nearly knocked me out. It took two weeks for that bruise to heal," Rabia stated.

"Very well," Zelda stood from the throne and turned to her court members. "We will adjourn while the court reviews the evidence presented today. We will return in an hour for sentencing." The court members rose and left for a nearby conference hall to review the evidence. Link and several guards forced Finn back towards the dungeons.

Once the court members had emptied out, Zelda slumped back into her throne with a sigh. The community members that had come to watch the trial were still in their seats, muttering indistinctly amongst themselves. Zelda offered Rabia a small smile.

"Don't worry, Rabia. There's no way that evidence won't get Finn incarcerated for life," she said. Rabia sat down on the dais by her friend's feet.

"At least I won't have to worry about him showing up at my house anymore."

"Rabia!" Saul's voice rang out over the rest in the hall as he hurried forward.

"Oh no…" Rabia groaned. "No, no no…" Saul skidded to a halt in front of her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry, I had no idea…" he babbled as he hugged Rabia tight. "If I'd known he was hurting you, I'd never have let him near you…"

"Y'know, hugging isn't conducive to bruise healing," Rabia grumbled as she struggled out of his grip. "And you would've known if you had taken two seconds to just _listen_ to me," she snapped. Saul took a step back, shame-faced.

"Your mother and I only wanted to do what we thought was best for you," Saul said.

"She's not my mother," Rabia snapped. "And if you wanted to do what was best for me, you should've just _asked."_

Before Saul could reply, the members of the court re-entered the room, so he had to go back to his seat. Finn was dragged back into the room while Princess Zelda listened to what her court members decided. As she approached the dais, a hush fell over the crowd.

"Finn Herrington. You have been sentenced with treason against the crown, consorting with a demon, abuse of magic, and domestic abuse. You will be henceforth stripped of your title and incarcerated for life," Zelda said.

"No! Please!" Finn screamed as he was dragged away to the dungeons. The doors closed with a heavy sort of finality behind him. The community members started murmuring to themselves as they began to make their way out the door. Ganondorf pushed his way through the crowds towards Rabia, who was still sitting on the dais staring at the door dumbfounded.

"He's gone," she said. She grinned widely and jumped up off the floor excitedly. "He's gone!" she laughed as Ganondorf swept her up into a hug, then kissed her deeply. The sound of a throat clearing got her attention as she released Ganondorf.

"Rabia… this… is what you want?" Saul asked as he looked from her to Ganondorf. Rabia nodded, tangling her fingers with Ganondorf's. "I can't say I approve of him," Saul started, "but he saved you from Finn and from that demon. It's clear that he cares about you and if he makes you happy…" Rabia smiled brightly.

"Good! I was going to keep dating him anyway, but now we won't have to fight about it," she said to him. Saul rolled his eyes.

"Just… do me a favor and be _careful_ this time, okay?"

"Yeah, sure, dad."

* * *

OCs: Finn (Rabia's ex), Rabia (main character), Saul (Rabia's father), Court Sorcerer (court sorcerer)


	35. Take My Hand (take my whole life, too)

A soft, sweet ending to Part 1 that I'm sure was expected :) See the author's notes at the end for information on Part 2!

347 words

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Friday found Rabia and Ganondorf walking through Castle Town, hand-in-hand. The town was still dreary with slush and ice, and the gray of early dawn made it even more so. The two of them, wrapped up in each other as they were, didn't seem to notice or mind the cold. The rising sun glittered off of the ice that snaked between the cobblestones and reflected off the gray-tinted snowbanks. Ganondorf led Rabia along the mostly empty streets.

"Where are we going?" Rabia asked.

"It's a surprise," Ganondorf smiled at her sweetly, and the warmth she felt had nothing to do with the layers she was wearing. Finally, he led her to the fountain in the center of town. Delicate icicles draped over the edge of the tiers into a pool of clear, solid ice at the bottom. The icicles glittered like crystal in the cool, morning sunlight.

"It's beautiful, Ganondorf, but… why'd you bring us here?" Rabia tilted her head.

"Well, I… I actually have a question for you," Ganondorf said. He took her hand gently. "Do you remember our second date? When we had our first kiss?" he asked her.

"Of course I do," Rabia laughed. "I'm pretty sure I called you hot, said your horse was cute, and was as awkward as possible." Ganondorf chuckled.

"It was cute," he assured her. "And… that kiss was the moment I knew I was in love with you, Rabia. I couldn't think of a better place to ask..." he knelt down and held out a ring. "Will you marry me?" Rabia gasped and her eyes widened. She dropped to her knees beside him and kissed him deeply.

"Yes! Yes, I'll marry you," she smiled and kissed him again. Ganondorf swept her up into his arms and spun her around with a laugh. He set her down and slid the ring onto her finger.

"I love you," he grinned and kissed her again.

"I love you, too," Rabia replied softly. "Now come on! We have to tell everyone!" She grabbed his hand and they ran off towards the castle.

* * *

OCs: Rabia (main character)

OKAY SO! We've reached the end of Part 1! 67,350-ish words down, but many, many more to come in Part Two! In the mean time, while I finish up some edits, I'll be posting a short 8-chapter interlude. It isn't necessary to read it before Part Two but it'll be there if you want to! Thanks for reading, and I'll see you all in Part Two - Bound to the West: Queen of the Banished!

Queen of the Banished can be found here (remove the spaces before and after the slashes) - / s / 13295266 / 1 / Bound-to-the-West-Queen-of-the-Banished


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